ABSTRACT
A healthy lifestyle can prevent 80% of sudden cardiac death and 72% of premature deaths due to heart disease. Emotions and social relationships shape health behaviors and affect physiological and biochemical processes associated with CVD via the stress-response system. Both acute and chronic psychological stress alter physiological and biochemical processes related to CVD-related morbidity and mortality. This chapter explains the interconnected relationship between emotions, interpersonal processes, CVD-related morbidity, and mortality. Our primary objective is to articulate how emotions and social connections interact to alter physiological and biochemical processes contributing to CVD-related morbidity and mortality. We also briefly describe how stress impacts sleep, a critical pathway to CVD-related morbidity and mortality.
