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You’ve probably heard all the well-worn advice for keeping your heart healthy - eat a nutritious diet, exercise regularly, don’t smoke. A new addition to the modifiable risk factor list: “Be more agreeable”.

In a population study, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) looked at the health and personality traits of nearly 6,000 Italians in four villages. To examine their health, the thickness of each person’s neck arteries was measured. A personality test revealed their traits, graded on 6 factors of “agreeableness” - trust, straightforwardness, altruism, compliance, modesty, and tender mindedness.

Those who scored high for antagonism, especially those who were deemed aggressive and competitive, also had the thickest neck arteries. And thicker neck arteries are a risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

The study’s lead author suggested that doctors should consider personality traits along with a patient’s other cardiovascular risk factors, and that coping strategies and anger management training could be tools to boost heart health.

If you’re prone to anger, competitiveness, or other less-than-tender traits, you don’t have to make over your entire personality. Just try to find ways to relax more often and round off those sharp edges that could be putting your heart in harm’s way.

Related: Does hostility predispose a risk of heart attack?, Ha! Laughing is good for you!, How can high cholesterol harm me?, A quit-smoking ally who’s right around the corner, Carotid artery disease

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