Studies reveal the following about forgiveness:
- People who are more forgiving report fewer health problems
- Forgiveness leads to less stress
- Forgiveness leads to fewer physical symptoms of stress
- Failure to forgive may be more important than hostility as a risk factor for heart disease
- People who blame other people for their troubles have higher incidences of illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and cancers.
- People who imagine not forgiving someone show negative changes in blood pressure, muscle tension, and immune response.
- People who imagine forgiving their offender note immediate improvement in their cardiovascular, muscular, and nervous systems.