Orthostatic cardiovascular profile of subjective well-being

•Orthostatic CV may be used to make a biometrical profile of individual well-being.•Deeper drop of SBP and MAP during supine posture is related to higher positive mood.•Stable DBP and MAP level during standing posture is related to lower negative mood.•Lower SBP irrespective to postures is related to higher global life satisfaction.•Higher rise of DBP during standing posture is associated with higher optimism.

Previous clinical and elderly population studies have found that affective well-being can be assessed by clino-orthostatic cardiovascular reactivity. This study explored this relationship in a young healthy sample, and with respect to cognitive appraisals of well-being. Four successive readings of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) after lying down (clinostatic probe) followed by four successive readings after standing up (orthostatic probe) were obtained from 52 healthy students along with questionnaire-reported well-being. Analyses indicated that a deeper drop of systolic BP (SBP) and mean arterial (MAP) pressure during supine was related to higher positive mood, but higher and more stable orthostatic MAP and HR response were related to lower negative mood. A higher diastolic BP while standing upright and lower SBP in general were associated with higher optimism and higher global life satisfaction, respectively. The findings confirm previous results and indicate that cognitive appraisals of well-being are also related to BP regulation.