Stating the obvious (and arising to the level of “who pays for these studies”), a study found that: “A happy marriage is good for your blood pressure, but a stressed one can be worse than being single.”
Study volunteers wore devices that recorded their blood pressure at random times over 24 hours. Married participants also filled out questionnaires about their marriage.
Analysis found that the more marital satisfaction and adjustment spouses reported, the lower their average blood pressure was over the 24 hours and during the daytime.
But spouses who scored low in marital satisfaction had higher average blood pressure than single people did. During the daytime, their average was about five points higher, entering a range that’s considered a warning sign. (That result is for the top number in a blood pressure reading).
If “marital unhappiness” raises blood pressure to borderline unhealthy levels, I don’t think we need a study to learn that the stress of divorce raises blood pressure to levels that are off the charts.
