A study of more than 2,600 Hispanic seniors, evenly divided among the sexes, showed that the higher a person scored on a questionnaire measuring positive emotions, the lower his or her blood pressure was. The effect was strongest among people who were not taking any drugs to lower their blood pressure. All of the subjects completed a questionnaire that ranked their degree of positive emotions on a scale of 0 to 12. Higher scores directly translated into lower blood pressure readings. Many studies have shown that positive emotions can help keep a person's chemical and neural responses in balance, and help people handle stress better. These latest findings suggest that improving people's emotional well-being could be an effective way to help control their blood pressure as well. Psychosomatic Medicine September-October 2006; 68(5): 727-733 CNN.com October 18, 2006 All Headline News October 18, 2006