The quality of a marriage relationship has a significant influence on your health and lifespan. Oxford University Press USA reported via EurekAlert, mortality and blood pressure are directly linked to relationship quality. Other studies have shown that stress and negative marital quality can have an influence on mortality and blood pressure.
In this study via the use of systolic blood pressure as a gauge, the researchers determined whether a person’s blood pressure is influenced by their own as well as their partner’s reports dealing with chronic stress. There was also an interest in any gender differences seen in these patterns. The findings in this study support previous research which asserts that stress and relationship quality have both direct and moderating effects on a person’s cardiovascular system.
It has been indicated by this research that it is important to view the couple as a whole rather than the individual when considering marriage and health. Considered to be very important was the finding that a wives’ stress has important implications for a husbands’ blood pressure, particularly when dealing with more negative relationships.
This study has been published in The Journals of Gerontology. The researchers found that the effects of stress and negative relationship quality are dyadic and they vary by gender. Husbands experienced increased blood pressure when wives reported greater stress. Negative spousal relationship quality exacerbated this link.
There were observations of negative relationship quality predicting increased blood pressure when both members of the couple made reports of negative quality relations. These findings support the premise that stress and relationship quality have a direct effect on the cardiovascular system. Stress is moderated by relationship quality. Clearly nurturing a good marriage may help you be healthier and live longer.
