When you think about bitter memories or if you’re sad you often feel a “sunken” feeling in your chest. Why is that?
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We don’t know exactly because the connection between mental wellbeing and physical wellbeing is complex and intertwined. There are many theories, and this is one that is quite prevalent
Extreme emotions such as grief, panic, fear, anger activate the sympathetic nervous system, or the fight or flight response. This forces the adrenal glands to release a lot of adrenalin.
Adrenalin and the sympathetic nervous system together increase the frequency of heartbeat and blood pressure, as well as the frequency of resporation. This, especially raised blood pressure can cause a heavy chest, sometimes even chest pain.
Adrenaline also can constrict the blood vessels in the heart which can lightly deprive the heart of oxygen and cause angina pectoris. More severe cases result in stress cardiomyopathy, commonly known as the broken heart syndrome.
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Many emotions produce physical sensations. Emotions developed before intellect, so animals couldn’t really think a out what they felt. Instead, emotions had to speak to the lower levels of functioning, such as instincts which make animals avoid unpleasant experiences and seek pleasant ones. This connection is still very strong in humans, even though we can also reason about our experiences.
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