Everything is interconnected. You don’t have to drop into the metaphysical to understand that – for example if you hurt your lower back, you often end up with some neck pain as the way you carry your weight shifts and put those bones and muscles in different positions.
In an emotional sense, when you get stressed out about one area of your life – say, work – sometimes your relationships suffer.
Your relationships impact your health in a number of ways – both positively and negatively.
SLEEP
It won’t be a shock to you that women tend to share more thoughts and feelings in general than men. And if they are given an opportunity to express them regularly with their partner, they tend to sleep better than if they cannot share. This may be due to having a sense that the family is functioning well, nothing is being bottled up.
However, if there is anxiety about a relationship, there is a tendency to ruminate and worry well into the night, reducing the time and quality of sleep.
STRESS
Having good relationships helps lower stress levels, and it doesn’t have to be a romantic one. Spending time with someone that you feel close to will lower cortisone levels, regardless of whether it is a mate or a good pal.
And of course, less stress chemistry means better arteries, digestion, immunity, and insulin levels.
HEART HEALTH
A good marriage is heart-healthy. Studies have shown that if someone in a happy marriage undergoes bypass surgery, they have a better chance of survival than those in unhappy relationships. It could be that having someone close to you to cheer you onto better lifestyle choices is part of that positive outcome.
Women in bad marriages were much less likely to make it through bypass surgery than men in bad marriages.
DEPRESSION
Feeling criticized by other members of the family (including a partner) is associated with a higher risk of depression than feeling accepted. And women are almost two times as likely to suffer from depression and to ruminate (focusing on negative feelings from the past, along with what caused those feelings) over negative feelings than men. This compulsion to go over and over something can lead to more depression.
DEMENTIA
Research has shown that the risk for dementia is lowest among people with many types of positive relationships. There is more and more evidence to link brain health to heart health.
SOME THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW:
1. The effects of these experiences in various types of relationships is cumulative, and negative factors increase your health risks as time goes by.
2. Improving relationships and social ties can be an excellent and financially sound way to protect your health.
Image by coolcal2111 on Flickr.
