As anyone who has moved to a new town as an adult can tell you, making friends gets a lot harder. It’s not only hard to meet people, but also hard to build lasting bonds.
This is also true of romantic relationships in adulthood. It seems the older we get, the harder it is to find a meaningful partner in which to spend our time with.
If that wasn’t bad enough, an increasing number of studies published within the last five years have found a link between early mortality rate and being single following cardiac arrest.
It seems that as you age, if you’re single or become single and stay that way your heart can essentially break, according to the research. While this sounds like a stretch, research has uncovered an actual difference and a significant link between single and coupled individuals who have experienced cardiac arrest.
Studies have found that both men and woman are more likely to suffer from an increased mortality rate when living alone. In fact, a study from 2013 found that men and woman who are single have a nearly 50 to 60 percent higher chance of dying during the 30 days following a heart attack than their counterparts that are married or in a relationship with someone.
While men are slightly more likely to suffer from an increased risk of death following a heart attack verses women, both sexes are at an increased risk. Another study found that not only can being single following a heart attack increase your chance of death, but being single puts individuals at greater odds for developing heart disease and suffering from a heart attack.
According to a study released by the European Society of Cardiology, “single living and/or being unmarried increases the risk of having a heart attack and worsens its prognosis in both men and women.”
The reasons seem to vary by study, but the suggested conclusion is that single men and woman tend to consume more alcohol as well as partake in unhealthy meals more frequently than their attached counterparts. Overall, single individuals live an unhealthier lifestyle than paired off individuals and this can occur in many forms from less exercise and healthy eating habits to more social isolation and an increased risk of depression or loneliness.
Additionally, it seems some studies suggest that being single not only leads to a less healthy lifestyle, but it increases the risk of depression and the stress or anxiety that comes with such a diagnosis and going through it alone.
Another study suggested that financial reasons might also attribute to the increased risk of death among unmarried, single individuals. The link was made that those who are financially burdened alone with the responsibility of the same finances that two individuals manage in a relationship can be more burdensome and stressful. Stress is a leading factor to increased risk of heart disease.
Being in a relationship can lead to an increase and even alleviate many social, physical and mental anxieties that plague those that are over the age of 40 years old. This is, of course, only applicable to those that are in a healthy and fulfilling relationship.
Studies did find that if an individual is in an unhappy marriage or relationship, the stress can be much more significant than being single and might be just as unhealthy.
For those that were married or in a relationship and have become divorced or lost a spouse it can be as simple as finding companionship that will help support you in a happy, healthy and positive way. It seems that, according to the many studies, humans just weren’t meant to spend time alone burdening the anxieties of life by themselves.
While the studies focused solely on marriage and romantic relationships, if these are not options to single and aging individuals, it may mean joining a group in your town or neighborhood such as a reading book club or hitting the gym for a group yoga class. Not only will keeping your mind busy and occupied provide an escape from the potential burdens and woes in life, but the social interaction that can be obtained during a group or class can at least provide some relief.
~ Health Scams Exposed
