**i’ve always wondered this, and everyone i’ve asked has been as clueless as me so maybe someone will know something about it. why do you feel a pain in your chest when you’re sad? i know your heart’s there, but doesn’t it just pump blood? **
Welcome to the SDMB, and I have no idea.
Wild Ass Guess (WAG): It ain’t the heart, it’s the lungs. The biological effect of extended production of stress hormones like cortisol may result in spasm, inflammation, or other painful effects in various respiratory tissues.
AnotherWAG: Sadness, anger, and other stressors cause the heart muscle to work harder. Normally, coronary arteries supply all the necessary oxygen for this increased activity, but stress hormones like cortisol eventually reduce blood flow to the heart, causing angina-like symptoms.
EvenW-erAG: It’s neither heart nor lungs. It’s your stomach, trying to give you an ulcer.