Your Emotions and Your Health
The way you argue with your partner could affect the type of health issues you face later in life, new study finds.
Video Transcript:
What type of fighter are you? Do you scream in frustration? Or seethe in silence? The answer may affect your health!
Researchers recruited 156 couples in long-term marriages and studied how they argue. They identified two emotional behaviors that were common during conflict --- anger and stonewalling. They then tracked physical health symptoms of the participants over 20 years. Spouses who tended to “fly off the handle” more easily were at greater risk for chest pain, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems over time. Those who barely spoke and avoided eye contact were more likely to develop backaches, stiff necks or joints, and general muscle tension. The link between emotions and health outcomes was most evident in husbands… though a strong association was also there in wives.
The authors say these findings could lead to preventive interventions such as anger management for hotheaded people and interpersonal skill training for those who shutdown.
I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV… with the latest breakthroughs from the world of medicine.
