Many of us have heard the expression that you shouldn’t go to bed angry with your spouse, but maybe you shouldn’t rush to the fridge, either.
A new study published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science found that married couples who argued often experienced a spike in the "hunger" hormone known as ghrelin after the fight and frequently made worse food choices, according to a news release from the University of Delaware.
However, only the participants who were either at a healthy weight or overweight experienced the effects — those who were obese showed little difference.
The effects were also consistent for both spouses, according to the study’s abstract.
The study gave one of its authors, Lisa Jaremka, the chance to test a theory of hers, that rejection and relational problems could make people hungry and lead them to look for relief in food, usually unhealthy “comfort food," according to the release.
It could also help doctors come up with weight-loss solutions that are tailored to a person’s current circumstances.
So while the best solution to this phenomenon is probably to resolve the problems in one’s marriage, maybe having healthier snacks on hand could help too.
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