Can Divorce Lead to Heart Disease?

I read this article, Divorced women more likely to suffer heart disease, thanks to a link from A Hearty Life. Here’s something I’ve never heard before, yet it makes sense. “Women who divorce are 60 per cent more likely to develop heart disease in later life than those who remain in a married relationship.”

Divorce is a major life stress, and stressful lifestyles cause long-term damage to our bodies. Remember that Holmes Rahe Stress Test I blogged about a few weeks ago? Guess what the top three most stressful life events are? Death of spouse (100 points), Divorce (73), and Marital Separation (65). So if you’re separated, then divorced in the same year — whew! Bless your heart and find some ways to ease your stress. Here’s a good place to start.