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Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP; DBP) were measured using an Omron 705IT (HEM-759-E; Omron Healthcare Europe BV, Hoofddorp, the Netherlands). This is a fully automated upper-arm oscillometric blood pressure monitoring device that is clinically validated by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instruments, the European Society of Hypertension, and the British Hypertension Society (e.g., Refs. [33 (link),34 (link)]). SBP and DBP were measured twice in succession at each time point and averaged into a single value for statistical analyses. Cortisol was assessed by taking saliva samples with synthetic Salivettes (Sarstedt®, Etten-Leur, the Netherlands). Samples were stored at −20 °C within 1 h of collection. Cortisol levels were determined by a commercially available luminescence immuno-assay (IBL, Hamburg, Germany).

A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess subjective stress related to the MAST, asking how stressful participants had felt during the task, how painful it was and how unpleasant it felt (anchored from ‘not at all’ to ‘very’). Negative affect was assessed using the negative items from the PANAS (Fig. 1).
To assess general arousal and SAM axis activity, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SP and DP) and pulse were measured using the Omron 705IT (HEM‐759‐E; Omron Healthcare Europe BV, Hoofddorp, the Netherlands). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was calculated to obtain one total value representing averaged blood pressure [MAP = DP + 0.412 (SP − DP)] (Meaney et al., 2000). Cortisol (HPA axis) measures of stress were obtained at four time points during the session using a synthetic Salivette (Sarstedt, Etten‐Leur, the Netherlands). Two baseline samples were taken at t₀ and t₄₅, one 15 min after the end of the MAST at t₇₀, and one at the end of the session at t_100. Timing was based on the information that the cortisol response peaks 10–20 min after the offset of the MAST (Smeets et al., 2012). After collection, saliva samples were immediately stored at −20 °C. Cortisol levels were determined by a commercially available luminescence immuno assay kit (IBL, Hamburg, Germany).