A loving heart means a healthy heart. People fortunate enough to have love and romance in their lives are also less likely to have a broken heart, in more ways than one.
Unhappy marital relationships could increase the risk of heart disease, according to a study at the University of Pittsburgh.
Nataria Joseph, lead author of the study's paper, reveals that negative marital relationships cause an 8.5 higher risk of heart attack or stroke when compared with more positive marital interactions.
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“It’s another bit of support for the thought that marital or serious romantic relationships play a significant role in overall health,”
Joseph told Pitt Chronicle, the university newspaper.
There were 281 middle-aged adults, married or living in marital-like arrangements, in the study. Subjects were monitored hourly over four days and partners rated their interactions as positive or negative.
Partners who had more negative interactions had thicker carotid arteries, which carry blood to the head and neck. Plaque or fatty deposit buildup in these arteries can interfere with blood flow and lead to heart attack or stroke.
People in happy relationships have less stress in their lives, according to psychiatrist
Dr. Joseph Hullett, who told Woman’s Day that less stress helps to improve heart health. Unstable relationships could increase the risk of heart attacks.
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Woman’s Day also reported that romance and a healthy heart can expand to working out together. Couples who exercise together have a better chance of sticking to the program than those who work out alone and are more likely to give up on exercise plans.
The U.K.'s National Health Service reported on a study that shows the effects of hugging on a healthy heart. Couples who held hands for 10 minutes and then hugged for 20 seconds had a lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and smaller heart rate increases than those couples that didn’t touch.
Happy marriages could also reduce the risk of angina, the chest pain from inadequate blood flow to the heart, according to NHS. A study of 10,000 men revealed that angina risk was lowered for men who felt “loved and supported” by their partners.
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