How a Happy Marriage May Be Good for Your Heart

TIME Healthland:

As we learned earlier today, marriage may make you fat, but a happy union may also help you live longer, according to a new study of heart patients. Patients who were married when they underwent coronary artery bypass surgery were more than twice as likely to survive for 15 years, compared with unmarried patients, and those who were in happier marriages were more likely to live longer.

Researchers at the University of Rochester followed 225 bypass patients of both genders who had surgery between 1987 and 1990. The day before surgery, researchers asked about the patients’ marital status; one year later, the participants were asked to rate their relationship satisfaction.

Then, using hospital data, the researchers assessed who was still alive 15 years later. Overall, 55% (124 patients) survived 15 years: 61% of the married patients and 30% of the singletons. The researchers adjusted for other factors associated with cardiovascular health, such as age, sex, education, smoking and depression.