Depressed emotions have been considered detrimental to physical and mental health in the past, and recently scientists have found evidence that they cause a shorter life expectancy and predisposition to tumors. The latest study, conducted jointly by the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Rochester, shows that people who are always depressed have at least a 36 percent shorter life expectancy than those who can express their emotions accurately. In a detailed analysis of the specific causes, the researchers found a 47 percent increased risk of heart disease and a 70 percent increased risk of tumors. The study, published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medical Research, reported that the consequences of suppressed emotions are more serious than is currently recognized. The study was an analysis of data from 796 subjects with an average age of 44 who had enrolled in a health survey that included a psychological questionnaire 12 years earlier. Researchers conducted the same survey on this group 12 years later and found that 111 subjects had died – mostly from heart disease or cancer. After analyzing the subjects’ emotional scores, the researchers found that those who were most likely to suppress their anger without revealing their true thoughts had the highest mortality rates. The exact mechanism is unclear, possibly because people turn to alcohol, smoking and junk food in order to deal with hidden emotions that are harmful to the body. Another possibility is that negative emotions interfere with endocrine balance and determine immune resistance, thereby increasing the risk of diseases associated with cellular damage such as heart disease and cancer. According to the study, these findings reveal the correlation between depressed emotions and the occurrence of certain diseases and death. Therefore, for health and longevity, people need to pay attention to learn to properly release stress and and regulate their emotions.