A new study suggests that bliss has beneficial health . The research is from Carnegie Mellon University in the USA. It concludes that being married reduces your of a stress hormone called cortisol. Researchers tested for cortisol in the of 572 adults aged 21-55 on three different, non- days. Multiple saliva samples were taken throughout each 24-hour period. The researchers found that the married people in the had less cortisol than people who were , separated, divorced or widowed. The researchers said: "Married people tend to be than both the previously and never married, but the through which this occurs remain ."
The stress hormone cortisol has many different in our body. It regulates sugar levels, immune responses and and can increase the of heart disease. It also increases the chances of surviving cancer. High levels of cortisol have been linked to
conditions such as anxiety and depression. Laboratory director Sheldon Cohen said: "These
provide important insights into the way in which our social relationships can get under the to influence our health." Researcher Brian Chin added: "It is exciting to discover a physiological that may explain how relationships influence health and ."