When it comes to remarriage, it’s not just your emotional state that is impacted by the quality of your relationship. Turns out your health can also be affected by the quality of your remarriage.
A 20-year longitudinal study conducted by researchers at Brigham Young University followed 1,681 couples to determine how the quality of their relationship affected their physical health. The conclusion? Those in relationships with high marital conflict are more likely to report poor health.
Those in happy marriages — those low in conflict and higher in martial satisfaction — seem to experience the relationship as having a preventative component that keeps people in good health over the years.
Staying Healthy in Remarriage
Remarriage is full of situations that can result in conflict and lack of marital satisfaction. For a remarried couple to have a good chance for success, they have to become realistic about the dynamics inherent to stepfamily life, learn to accept them, and work with them for the harmony of their household.
Learning to “fight fair,” let go of hurts, and become one another’s safe harbor in life, while important to all relationships, requires more in remarriages. There is a need to truly understand stepfamily dynamics so that you can effectively work with them.
This can go a long way in helping your remarriage become strong and satisfying, and circumvent the high failure rate that remarriages can experience. Then you can look forward to the years of good health and vitality you and your partner will actively create so that you can enjoy your life together!
