BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure

Subject: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Victor in Mapperton
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 08:02 AM

A study suggests that a happy marriage is good for your blood pressure, but a stressed one can be worse than being single.

Married people tend to be healthier than singles, according to Julianne Holt-Lunstad who carried out the research.The study involved 204 married people and 99 single adults.

Analysis found that the more marital satisfaction and adjustment spouses reported, the lower their average blood pressure was over the 24 hours and during the daytime.

But spouses who scored low in marital satisfaction had higher average blood pressure than single people did. During the daytime, their average was about five points higher, entering a range that's considered a warning sign.

It makes sense that marital quality is more important than just being married when it comes to affecting blood pressure, according to Dr. Brian Baker, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto.

My own blood pressure is excellent and I had many happy years with a great woman. God be kind to her.

Maybe Julianne Holt-Lunstad could carry out a survey regarding Mudcat threads and blood pressure ?

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 08:05 AM

Especially those which advance speculation as fact ¦¬]

G

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 08:07 AM

Yeah, the family values/moral majority types aren't gonna go for the results of this study, are they?

And ya know, when I see results to studies like this published, all I can think is "well, duh...rocket scientists at work here!"

Which part of being miserable is bad for your health...oh, what's the point?

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 08:10 AM

Stroking cats is good for your blood pressure as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Victor in Mapperton
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 08:16 AM

I went through the survey there again John and there was nothing on people with smug attitudes :)

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 08:20 AM

Not autobiographical then Victor?

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 08:32 AM

Stroking goldfish is good for blood pressure as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Megan L
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 09:13 AM

stroking cats is not good for the blood pressure if the cat objects to being stroked.

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Bobert
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 09:18 AM

112/70....

Thanks, P-Vine...

B;~)

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Schantieman
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 09:50 AM

Stroking cats is cheaper than getting married - and easier to stop as well.

The other thing that getting married does is cause your socks to diappear in the washing. When I was a bachelor I never (never!) lost a sock in the washing, even at the laundrette. As soon as I got married it started, whether my wife or I did the washing. And now I'm divorced, I STILL lose the damned things, so getting unmarried doesn't work on socks. I currently have about eight odd socks, most of them black (but not exactly matching, before someone suggests the obvious).

Maybe my daughter has the right idea, She ALWAYS wears odd socks.

Steve

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Victor in Mapperton
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 09:53 AM

No John, my life has been a little too mundane nothing in it so far to raise the pressure. I do have to admit though, talking to the beautiful lady who runs the organic vegetable stall at the market has left me dizzy once or twice ! Anything more and this old cougher would be feeling the fires of hell !

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 10:26 AM

So, the solutions seem to reside somewhere along the lines of cohabitate or habitate in separate residences, wear odd socks, pet the cat.

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 11:18 AM

Meagan is right...

Blood pressure has much more voluntary control than people think.

The trick is for you to know when to lower your pressure yourself.

Most people can manage a 10 point reduction on their own
20 points is about the max. Lowering the diastolic pressure is more time consuming and does not go down nearly as much as the upper reading.

I trained people to do this and it was demonstrated for doctors in Rochester NY.

... a lapful of sleepy cat is effective and more fun.

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Amos
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 11:59 AM

Gigi is right about rocket science it ain't.

It seems pretty obvious that being in close constant connection with someone you don't get along with is going to be a stressor; and with someone with whom you have strong affinity and a comfortable connection, a strengthening influence.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 10:00 PM

Talking as if "stress" was necessarily bad for people is missing the point.

It isn't stress that's the problem, it's the strain which can be caused by excessive stress. A certain amount of stress is probably necessary to keep you functioning, whether you are a guy-rope or a guy (or married to a guy). That would presumably be one of the factors in marriage being good for us, when it is.

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Slag
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 11:34 PM

...wait for it......wait for it......

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: GUEST,Appaloosa Lady
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 05:16 AM

"No John, my life has been a little too mundane nothing in it so far to raise the pressure. I do have to admit though, talking to the beautiful lady who runs the organic vegetable stall at the market has left me dizzy once or twice ! Anything more and this old cougher would be feeling the fires of hell !"


That'll be her Orgasmic Vegetables, Victor.

Mind you, according to Government Guidelines you're supposed to munch them 5 times a day, and I *always* do what my Government tells me to, so, if you'll excuse me........

Ohhhhh! Ohhhhh! Ohhhhh! Ohhhhh! Ohhhhh!

Hey, it works...my blood pressure has plummeted


:-)))    << Extraordinarily Happy Orgasmic Vegetable Consumer.

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Slag
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 07:38 AM

...And there it is!

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: GUEST,Appaloosa Lady
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 08:12 AM

;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Victor in Mapperton
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 08:43 AM

Appaloosa Lady, I would love "five portions a day" I must ask her about that. you never know what could "Turnip". She could "lettuce". Ten years ago I got the "Parsnip" so at least I am safe.On the rare occasion this "Peach" sells fruit, no pre-packed rubbish here, she had a very firm "Pear" on the scales a few weeks ago. Oh well at my age I doubt she would throw in her "Cherry".

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: MaineDog
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 09:02 AM

Absolutly right on.
If a bad marriage is defined as one with a terminally ill spouse, then I have proved the connection twice.
MD

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: GUEST,Appaloosa Lady
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 09:13 AM

Whoa! Victor...I am *so* impressed! :-) Well done that man!


Maine Dog, if you have nursed two loved ones to the end of their days, then they were very blessed to have you. That is not a bad marriage in any way. Heartbreaking, yes, on both occasions, but deeply admirable.

You my utmost respect. xx

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 09:51 AM

Well, caring for a terminally ill spouse doesn't put the same stresses on a marriage that fighting and conflict does.

However, it does come with a boatload of caregiver stress--and if that goes on for long enough without adequate support & relief from outside the home, they have found a whole host of problems crop up for the caregiver's health, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Victor in Mapperton
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 09:52 AM

Maine Dog, I have done it once. Remember that no one can ever take away the memories you have. We were blessed to have had them.

Please go on through life as you know they would have wanted you to.

Subject: RE: BS: Marriage and Blood Pressure
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 11:46 AM

I've been married for 44-1/2 years to my Beautiful Wife, and my blood pressure, at 77, runs around 115/68. Medical people taking my BP often comment on it.

On the other hand, my BW has terrible problems with high blood pressure.   Just maybe, that tells something about how we each are to live with, I don't know.

On the other hand, she's a prominent fretter, a world-class worrywart, which might have something to do with it.

Dave Oesterreich