A study says that couples who sort out their differences by thoughtfulness release less amount of stress-related protein.

 

"Previous research has shown that couples who are hostile to each other show health impairments and are at greater risk of disease," said Jennifer Graham, Assistant Professor of bio-behavioural health, Penn State University, who headed the study.

"We wanted to know if couples who use thoughtfulness and reasoning in the midst of a fight incur potential health benefits," Graham said

Individuals in a tense circumstances - as in a distressed relationship - usually have higher levels of chemicals known as cytokines.

These chemicals are produced by cells in the immune system and help the body mount an immune response during infection.

However, abnormally high levels of these proteins are associated with illnesses like cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, arthritis and some cancers, says a Penn State release.

"Typically, if you bring people to a lab and put them under stress, either by engaging them in a conflict or giving them a public speaking task, you can see an increase in cytokines such as Interleukin-6 (Il-6) and tumour necrosis (dead cancer cells) factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)," explained Graham.

For the research, 42 married couples made two separate overnight visits over two weeks. "We found that, controlling for depressed mood, individuals who showed more evidence of cognitive discussion during their fights showed smaller increases in both Il-6 and TNF-alpha cytokines over a 24-hour period," said Graham.

The study has been published in the current issue of Health Psychology.