Want to improve your heart health? Get married

How can you improve your heart health as you get older? According to one research study, it’s all about being married.

A study out of the New York University Langone Medical Center finds that married people have a significantly lower risk of heart disease than unmarried people. Whether you’re single, divorced or widowed, you’re at greater risk of heart disease. Divorced people are 5 percent more likely and widowed people 3 percent more likely than married people to have any kind of heart disease.

The researchers, who looked at physical exams and imaging tests of 3.5 million men and women across the country, believe that married people look after each other, helping to ensure that their partners eat well and exercise, and provide physical and emotional support. They also can make sure medications are taken as prescribed and that doctors appointments are kept. All these factors help to reduce the risk of heart disease.

In fact, another study out of Johns Hopkins found that married people who exercise, help their spouses, by encouraging them to do so as well. If you’re not married and don’t want to be, you just might be able to get the same health benefits with the support of a health care buddy, a friend, family member or neighbor.