Lifestyle
Happy marriage linked to lower blood pressure
By Sue Mueller
Mar 21, 2008 - 9:42:53 AM

FRIDAY March 21, 2008 (Foodconsumer.org) -- A new study found happily married people tend to have lower blood pressure than unhappy married people or singles.   But a supportive social network did not help blood pressure for singles or unhappily married people.

News reports explain that marriage is the cause for lower blood pressure. The explanation may be oversimplified, a foodconsumer.org health observer said.
 
The study was meant to establish a correlation between the status of marriage (good, bad and unmarried) and blood pressure.  Readers need to be alerted that happy marriage is not necessarily the cause for lower blood pressure.

In the study, researchers from Brigham Young University monitored blood pressure in 204 married and 99 single adults for a period of 24 hours. A total of about 72 readings were taken during the study period.

Julianne Holt-Lunstad and colleagues found blood pressure was four points lower in happily married people than that for single adults.  During sleeping, people in marriage, particularly happy marriage had lower blood pressure than that for single adults.

People in unhappy marriage got the highest blood pressure than both happily married and single adults.

The results were reported in the March 20 issue of the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

A health observer affiliated with foodconsumer.org, who was not part of the research team, suggested that although happy marriage may have an positive effect on blood pressure, blood pressure status may actually have an impact on the status of marriage, happy or unhappy.

Early studies have showed that high blood pressure affects one's sexual life, which is known to directly affect marriage status.  Good sex tends to lead to good marriage.  

High blood pressure itself can interfere with sex quality because it can change the circulatory patterns in the body and damage the inner lining of arteries, both of which may potentially decrease blood flow to the penis and vagina.

Also people with high blood pressure in the study might have been on blood pressure lowering drugs, which may reduce their sexual performance and negatively affect the marriage relationship.

In addition, as an exercise, sex, particularly good sex which should be seen more often in happy marriage may help reduce blood pressure.  Sex can also promote good sleep, which is another bonus for good blood pressure.

The association between the marriage status and blood pressure may be more complicated than the mainstream news media explains.