Studies have generally shown that married people tend to live longer and have better overall health than those who are single. However, research published online in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine (March 20, 2008) suggests an important caveat: the quality of the marriage matters.
The study included 204 married adults and 99 single adults. Blood pressure was measured at random intervals over a 24-hour period using ambulatory blood pressure monitors. Married participants also completed questionnaires assessing marital satisfaction and stress.
Researchers found that individuals in stressful or unhappy marriages had systolic blood pressure readings that averaged about five points higher than those in happier marriages. In fact, participants in high-stress marriages had higher blood pressure than single individuals.
The findings suggest that while a supportive marriage may offer cardiovascular benefits, chronic marital stress may negate those advantages—or even make marriage less healthy than being single.
