Being in a bad relationship definitely breaks your heart, but new research is showing that it can literally harm this important organ. Bad marriages or relationship issues cause stress, and too much stress can raise your risk for heart disease.

In a 12-year study of 9,011 British civil servants (most of them married), those with bad relationships were 34% more likely to have heart attacks or heart trouble than those in good relationships.

A different 10-year study discovered that wives who kept quiet about marital problems had an increased risk of dying compared to those who voiced their opinions. Also, married men were less likely to die during that period than single men.

The bottom line of this research is that good relationships are not only good for the soul, but they keep us happy which adds to our good health. However, if the relationship is negative and causes either person a lot of stress, then it may be doing more harm than just making you sad. Working through problems with a therapist and communicating your needs and feelings openly with your partner may help to heal a bad relationship, all the while keeping your heart healthy.

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