Anyone who has even contemplated the idea of getting a divorce knows that it can take a huge toll on your emotional and physical well-being. However, a new study has revealed that getting a divorce may not increase your risk of long-term health problems later on.
The study looked at more than 10,000 people and tracked the status of their relationships at ages 23, 33, 42 and 46. The participants in the study ranged from those who had married and stayed married, those who had married and either divorced or remarried, those who lived with their partners without ever marrying and those who remained single. Approximately 66 percent of participants had gotten married and stayed married, less than 10 percent — 8 percent of men and 6 percent of women — had married and divorced, and just over 10 percent (11 percent of men and 12 percent of women — had never cohabitated with a spouse or partner.
The study found that while there was a slight increase in the risk for breathing problems and heart disease in those who had not married, those who had divorced did not have any statistically higher risk of these conditions as those that had remained with their partners. The study expanded on previous findings from another research project that had indicated a decline in health in divorced men, but the new findings suggest that remarriage or even engaging in another relationship after divorce essentially reverses this effect.
If you are going through a divorce, one of the best ways to protect your physical and emotional health is to make the process as stress free as possible. While any major life change is sure to come with significant ups and downs, going through your divorce with a family law attorney you can trust to protect your interests can help.
Source: WebMD, “Could Staying Single Hurt Your Health?,” Tim Locke, June 12, 2015