Heart Rate of Older Couples Synchronizes When They Are Close Together

Sometimes, the husband’s heart rate would lead the change, and other times the wife’s heart rate would begin, and the husband's would follow. (RossHelen/Shutterstock)

New research from the University of Illinois has shown that the heart rates in older couples synchronize when they are close together. This new heart health study examined the dynamics of long-term relationships through spatial proximity.

When couples grow older together, their interdependence heightens. They often become each other’s primary source of emotional and physical support. As previous studies have shown, long-term marriages profoundly affect health and well-being, but those benefits also depend on relationship quality.

“Relationship researchers typically ask people how they’re doing and assume they can recall properly and give meaningful answers,“ says Brian Ogolsky, lead author of the study. ”But as couples age and have been together for a long time, they laugh when we ask them how satisfied or how committed they are. When they have been married for 30 or 40 years, they feel that indicates commitment in itself.”

For this study, researchers looked for more objective ways to measure relationship dynamics and their psychological benefits. This is why they chose to examine physical proximity in older couples.

Researchers included 10 heterosexual married couples, aged 64 to 88, who had been in their relationships from 14 to 65 years. The couples were followed for two weeks, continuously tracking their heart rates and proximity to each other when they were at home.

The first step was to examine the heart rate and proximity correlations over time. Researchers looked at the husband’s heart rate with proximity, the wife’s heart rate with proximity, and the two heart rates with each other.

A Lag in Synchronization

The findings indicated a lag in heart rate synchronization, when one partner would lead and the other’s heart rate would follow. Sometimes, the husband’s heart rate would lead the change, and other times the wife’s heart rate would begin, and the husband’s would follow. These findings suggest a delicate balance, a unique couple-level dance that affects the physiology and their partners throughout the day.

This study helps researchers to understand the unique patterns of interaction that happen within couples. For senior health, it is essential to understand the unique micro-process that can occur when couples stay together for long periods. This information can help health care providers with the successful aging of their patients.

Sarah Cownley earned a diploma in nutritional therapy from Health Sciences Academy in London. She enjoys helping others by teaching healthy lifestyle changes through her personal consultations and with her regular contributions to the Doctors Health Press. This article was originally published on Bel Marra Health.