The health advantages of marriage

This study was presented at a medical conference, so the results should be considered preliminary. But it does raise some questions. For example, were the heart attacks of single people more severe than those in people who were married? And was the health of the single heart attack victims worse before the heart attack than that of the married group? The headlines describing this study might have single people feeling even more pressured than before to find a marriage partner. I think that would be unfortunate, as a study of this type can only conclude there is an “association” or link between marriage and better health outcomes after a heart attack — but it cannot say with confidence that marriage is the reason for that benefit. How does this work? Given the growing body of evidence linking marriage with better health, it’s worth asking why such a connection might exist. A number of researchers have explored this question. Here are some of the more prominent theories. It’s all about immune function. Studies have found that people in happy relationships have stronger immune function than those who are not. And, cortisol tends to be released in lower amounts in married people as compared with those who are single. That may be important because cortisol levels tend to reflect levels of stress, and high cortisol levels can impair immune function. Your behavior improves with marriage. Married people may take fewer risks, eat better, and maintain healthier lifestyles, o...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Behavioral Health Men's Health Women's Health Source Type: blogs