Doctors say forgiving others can improve more than relationships

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The ability to forgive has long been treasured as a virtue that can improve relationships, but according to experts, it can also improve your health.

Dr. Karen Swartz, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University, says the act of forgiving can improve a person's physical health in several ways, including lowering their blood pressure and decreasing their heart rate.

"If you're angry, and in an angry state, you're essentially in fight or flight mode," Swartz said.

She said people who don't hold grudges are even less likely to take over-the-counter medications.

Although forgiving people is better for a person's overall health, experts say it's more natural for some to hold onto the past.

"There are some people that just really live in the past, get stuck in the past, and they're at risk of being in that grudge state," Swartz said.

Swartz said the first step is to identify your grudge-holding style. People who live in the moment are more likely to move on and forgive.

Swartz suggests specific relaxation techniques to help you let go of the past:

• Work on relaxation techniques
• Identify the problem
• Challenge your own responses
• Change your thoughts to a positive outlook

Psychologists say, in general, people rarely forgive and forget, but those wanting to eliminate bitterness or resentment from their thoughts need to focus on cultivating a forgiving attitude.

It's not agreeing that what the other person did was OK. It's just that you don't want to put the energy into fighting it, and you want to move on.