Heal Quicker - Give Peace a Chance

Quarreling with your partner may put the brakes on your body's ability to heal quickly.

In a study, researchers inflicted small blister wounds on couples and monitored them for 24 hours. The blisters of quarrelsome couples healed 40 percent more slowly than the blisters of more amiable pairs. Promote a peaceful partnership by practicing conflict resolution with your significant other and finding common ground whenever possible.

Hostility, depression, and stress promote the release of inflammatory proteins in the blood called cytokines. Although cytokines aid in wound healing, chronically high levels can contribute to cardiovascular disease, arthritis, certain kinds of cancers, and other conditions. Slow down the aging process by taking active steps to boost your emotional well-being. Practice stress-reduction strategies regularly, use appropriate anger management techniques when tempers flare, and nurture your emotional health by spending time doing things you enjoy.

Reference
Hostile marital interactions, proinflammatory cytokine production, and wound healing. Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Loving, T. J., Stowell, J. R., Malarkey, W. B., Lemeshow, S., Dickinson, S. L., Glaser, R., Archives of General Psychiatry 2005 Dec;62(12):1377-1384.