American sociologists studying more than 8,000 middle-aged people have concluded that losing a spouse is so stressful that it often causes permanent physical damage, even for those who go on to have happy second marriages. The divorced or widowed not only suffer a higher level of depression, but 20% more of them develop chronic health conditions such as cancer, heart disease or diabetes. They also have 23% more problems with mobility — such as climbing stairs. Those who remarry see a slight improvement in their health, but they are still far more likely to become ill than those who stay with their original companions.
