Are you single? Watch your blood pressure!

Marriage has a huge impact on your health, with singles and unhappily married people suffering higher levels of blood pressure than those happily wed.The relationship between what happens in one’s life and the development of illness is well documented.
Stressors that rank high for increasing the probability of illness include the death of a spouse and divorce.

Conversely, a new research study finds that happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks, suggesting marriage may literally be a matter of the heart. 

Researchers evaluated the effects of five relationship aspects on blood pressure:

1. Conversation
2. Engaging in outside interests together
3. Laughing together
4. Having calm discussions
5. Working together on a project

According to the study, there was a consistent 6 millimeters per mercury increase in blood pressure in 14 of the men and women who showed low participation in these five activities.

According to a new study released by a Brigham Young University researcher, those who are happily married have lower blood pressure than singles - even those with supportive social networks. But there is no evidence the jumps come all at once, and those who were unhappily married had blood pressure higher than singles.

But it's better to be single than to be unhappily married. It makes sense that marital quality is more important than just being married when it comes to affecting blood pressure.