By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay reporter
TUESDAY, June 29, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Men, take note: An unhappy marriage can end in divorce, but staying unhappily tense could also increase your risk of stroke or early death, suggests a new Israeli study.
The increased risk is as high as smoking or a “couch potato” lifestyle, said lead researcher Shahar Lev-Ari, chair of health promotion at Tel Aviv University School of Public Health.
Israeli men expressing dissatisfaction with their marriage were 94% more likely to have strokes and 21% more likely to die from any causes over the three decades of follow-up.
By comparison, a history of smoking increased the risk of death in men by 37% and an inactive lifestyle by 21%, the researchers said.
“Assessing marital satisfaction and assessing the health benefits of marriage education programs for young couples should be implemented as part of health promotion strategies for the general population,” believes Lev-Ari.
What is the link? Men who are unhappy in their marriage may be more likely to suffer from problems like depression, anxiety, and stress, all of which can increase the risk of stroke, experts said.
You may also be more likely to cope with these feelings through unhealthy behavior such as drinking, smoking, eating poorly, or using drugs.
“When we feel good about our interpersonal relationships, we feel happy and behave healthily,” said Brittany LeMonda, senior neuropsychologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “If we don’t feel comfortable with our fellow human beings, we tend to behave less than ideal, we are more afraid and have disturbed sleep.”
For the study, Lev-Ari and his colleagues recruited nearly 9,000 male Israeli officials and city workers who underwent a comprehensive assessment of their health and behavioral patterns. The research team then followed the health status of these men for 32 years.
The results are in line with previous studies that have shown that an unhappy marriage can affect the longevity of husbands and wives, Lev-Ari said.
A 2019 study from the journal Psychological Science found that satisfaction with your spouse could reduce your risk of death by 13% or more during an eight-year follow-up, Lev-Ari said.
“Studies suggest that educating and training young couples in positive psychology techniques, communication skills, and parenting strategies can be beneficial in developing family resilience and increasing marital satisfaction,” said Lev-Ari. “These techniques can be useful as part of health promotion strategies for the general population.”
LeMonda, who didn’t play a role in the study, noted that parenting is also generally linked to longevity.
“It is possible that those in unhealthy marriages are less likely to have children or have more stressful situations related to their children,” she said.
“This study highlights the importance of healthy relationships and our need for strong social support and a sense of connection with those we love,” concluded LeMonda.
The new study was recently published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.
More information
Harvard Medical School has more about the health benefits of marriage.
SOURCES: Shahar Lev-Ari, PhD, Chair of Health Promotion, Faculty of Public Health, Tel Aviv University, Israel; Brittany LeMonda, PhD, senior neuropsychologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Journal of Clinical Medicine, June 21, 2021
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