When it comes to divorce health, most people assume it refers to one’s mental health. While that is an important part of it, that’s still just one half of the equation. There’s also the physical aspect to consider. As it turns out, divorce can impact a person’s well-being in many potentially harmful ways…
Divorce Health: Unhealthy Signs
Drastic Weight changes
One of the signs of poor divorce health is drastic weight changes. It’s not uncommon for people in stressful situations to reach for some comfort food. Of course, divorce is no different. The nice feeling we get from these foods can give some temporary relief from the stress. However, many times, people end up overdoing it on these more-unhealthy food choices.
In some situations, the opposite ends up being true. The stress of divorce doesn’t cause them to reach for comfort food. Instead, it leads them to either forget, or feel like they don’t need to eat. Instead of gaining weight, these people end up losing drastic amounts.
Trouble sleeping
Another sign of poor divorce health is trouble with sleeping. Many times, this tends to be a result of divorce-related depression. Combined with the stress of divorce, and it’s very easy for people to start sleeping less and less. Eventually, this turns into full-blown insomnia.
Still, some people might not face issues with just falling asleep. Their problems might be more in regards to staying asleep. People who are divorcing tend to find themselves waking up constantly throughout the night. Nightmares are also an unfortunately common symptom which make it harder for them to sleep.
Heart problems
Heart problems are some of the most dangerous signs of poor divorce health. In fact, a recent study by the Journal of Marriage and Family found that divorced people are at a higher risk of developing heart problems than their non-divorced peers. But what is it exactly that causes this increase?
As it turns out, it can be a number of things. For starters, there’s the constant stress which put a lot of strain on the heart. Plus, other symptoms like a poor diet or sleeping schedule can also contribute to overall heart problems.