The influence of rumination on cardiovascular recovery from stress

To assess the influence of trait and state rumination on cardiovascular recovery following a stressor, cardiovascular data was collected from 64 undergraduate women during a 10-minute baseline period, 5-minute public speaking task and a 15-minute recovery period followed by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Trait rumination was assessed using the Stress Reactive Rumination Scale and state rumination was assessed using thought reports. Results indicated that low trait ruminators who were ruminating 10 minutes after the termination of the stressor had inferior diastolic blood pressure and high-frequency heart rate variability recovery compared to low trait ruminators who were not ruminating. State rumination was not associated with cardiovascular recovery in high trait ruminators. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring revealed that high trait ruminators had less nighttime diastolic blood pressure dipping. Rumination may play a role in the association between stress and hypertension by prolonging cardiovascular recovery and extending physiological arousal into nighttime sleep.