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After a hard day's workFor some people, stress on the job often carries over into home, family and marriage. A recent report that appeared on-line in ScienceDaily describes the results of a study that compared marriage quality and satisfaction with cortisol levels, a key stress hormone produced by the body. Cortisol is often called the "stress hormone" as it is involved in the body's physical response to stress, such as increasing blood pressure. Long-term elevated levels of cortisol have been associated with a number of illnesses including depression, chronic fatigue, and burn out. When a person is actively stressed or busy, their levels of cortisol go up. As a person's day slows down and they have a chance to relax, the levels go down. This study tracked levels of cortisol in thirty couples where both partners were working full time jobs and also raising children. Arriving home following a hard day at work, the expectation would be that their stress level, and thus their cortisol level, would lower due to no longer being on the job. For the men in the study, their cortisol levels showed a significant decline, regardless of how they described the quality of their marriages. It appears that just coming home from work results in a significant decrease in stress levels for men. However, only the women who described their marriage as "happy" showed a significant decline in their cortisol level once they returned home after a challenging day at work. The implications of this study still require further analysis, but it is important to recognize the inherent benefits of having a strong relationship. Women who are happily married identify how important it is to have a partner who will equally share the demands of raising children and running a household. Past research has also found that men generally live healthier and longer when married as opposed to being single or divorced. Therefore, if you want a "sure fire" way to decrease work related stress, having a satisfying marriage is a key factor. Contributed by Ken Loos, MS, LMLP, LCP Prevention, Education, and Outreach Department. Mail questions to: High Plains Mental Health Center, PLAIN SENSE, Prevention, Education, and Outreach Department, 208 East 7th, Hays, KS 67601; or visit www.highplainsmentalhealth.com. 2/25/08 Date: 2/19/08
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