Physical Symptoms of Anger: Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, Sweating, Tremors, and Gastrointestinal Effects

Anger activates the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis and HPA axis, producing measurable physiological changes:

• Cardiovascular: ↑ Heart rate, ↑ systolic/diastolic BP, ↑ cardiac output
• Autonomic: Sweating (thermoregulatory + emotional), piloerection, pallor/flushing
• Musculoskeletal: Tremor, muscle tension (jaw clenching, fist clenching), readiness for action
• Voice: Increased pitch, volume, rate; harsh tone
• GI: Nausea, "butterflies," reduced salivation (dry mouth), altered motility
• Neuroendocrine: Cortisol, catecholamines, testosterone surge

Chronic anger/hostility correlates with hypertension, CAD, metabolic syndrome. Anger management (CBT, relaxation, mindfulness) reduces physiological reactivity.