If you have a short temper and are prone to get into heated arguments, consider calming down before blowing up. According to recent findings in a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, as reported in Prevention.com, frequent social conflicts may double the risk of early death by the time you hit middle age.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen investigated a whopping 10,000 men and women aged 36 to 52 about their daily relationships with their partners, children, family members, friends, and neighbors, while tracking their health at the same time from 2000 to 2011. Those who often had disagreements with the people around them were two to three times more likely to die compared with those who seldom had disputes among those in their social circle.
The results aren't suprising at all. Engaging yourself in a heated clash can hike up stress levels. “Arguing with people in your network at such a high frequency is likely to induce some perception of stress,” Rikke Lund, lead study author and associate professor of social medicine at the University of Copenhagen explains. “And stress has a number of consequences, both physiological, like increased blood pressure and higher levels of stress hormones, and psychological, like depressive symptoms.”
But don't repress your opinions and feelings just yet—arguing can be healthy, especially if done in moderation. It opens up communication lines, and eventually leads to compromise and understanding, which are what a relationship exactly needs. Choose your battles, and think several times if arguing about a certain issue is really worth it.
(Screencap from Something Borrowed courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
