A study following 2,000 married men in Sweden for more than 26 years found those in happy marriages were about 86 percent less likely to suffer from a heart attack than unhappily married men, according to Jenna Day, a Baylor Scott & White nurse practitioner.
"These people who are happily married had less stress, so they had better blood pressure and things like that," Day said.
The study also suggested happily married men have a lower risk of heart attacks than those who are not married at all.
Day cited several three big reasons men may be in better health when happily married:
- They have someone to remind them to visit a doctor.
- They have someone to remind them to take medication.
- They tend to eat more home cooked meals, which are typically lower in sodium than microwavable or fast food.
One local man didn't need a study for him to know the difference his wife has made on his health.
Billie Joe and Johnnie have been married for nearly 43 years.
Johnnie never saw the study from Sweden, but she hit all three of Day's reasons married men tend to be healthier.
"He makes sure I keep my appointments, and I make sure he keeps his," Johnnie said. "I have his medications ready in the morning, and we weigh and do the blood pressure... I try to have meals prepared on time, salt-free or low salt"