A new study found that married people or people in good romantic relationships are less likely to suffer from heart attacks and strokes compared to those who are single.
You've probably heard sayings "Love makes the world go round" and "Love makes your heart beat faster." But did you know that love also keeps your heart healthier so that you enjoy a higher quality life.
It's not rocket science to deduce love is good for people. However, most studies that have highlighted the benefits of love suggest people in love are less likely to smoke, are more physically active and are more likely to have a well-developed social structure. Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist Julie Damp found there is one more advantage of being in love and it has everything to do with the heart.
Damp found that married couples and people in healthy romantic relationships are less likely to suffer from heart attacks and strokes. Such people also have lower levels of stress and anxiety in their day-to-day lives, seek medical attention more quickly while ill and are likely to take preventive medications.
"There is also a theory that people who are in loving relationships may experience neuro-hormonal changes that have positive effects on the body, including the cardiovascular system," she said in a statement. "This has not been proven, but the idea is that being in a relationship that is positive may have positive effects on your cardiovascular system over long periods of time."
A previous study conducted by University of Missouri researchers also found that married people enjoy better physical and mental health compared to unmarried people.
"We often think about the aging process as something we can treat medically with a pill or more exercise, but working on your marriage also might benefit your health as you age," study author Christine Proulx, said in a press statement released at that time. "Engaging with your spouse is not going to cure cancer, but building stronger relationships can improve both people's spirits and well-being and lower their stress."
