A new study shows that women who are physically fit have blunted responses to stress.
Keeping physically active is known to decrease the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure). Researchers in the US may have found a new reason why this is. They assessed physical fitness among a group of 13 men and women. Then they measured their physiological responses to standard tests of physical stress - like having a hand immersed in ice-cold water.

They found that women assessed as physically fit had a lower blood pressure response to stress - but only during the test involving the hand in ice water. In another experiment, where the participants had to do a mental arithmetic test, fitness had no impact on the stress response. This may mean that physical fitness may be a factor in preventing hypertension - but maybe it depends how stress is measured.