In addition to the emotional turmoil that can affect you and take up most of your thoughts during a divorce, there are documented physical effects associated with divorce. Even though most adults are partially prepared to deal with the mental and financial issues associated with divorce, few ever consider health problems. Unfortunately, people who go through a separation and a divorce may find themselves dealing with the surprising health effects a divorce.
Insomnia
Oftentimes a divorce can occupy your thoughts. When you go to bed at night, these thoughts can fill your head instead of the sleep you need. It can sometimes be hard to turn these thoughts off, which leads to insomnia. Experts call this “secondary insomnia” as it revolves around a life event. However, if left untreated, this can lead to a longer affliction. Consult with your physician if this is a problem.
Compromised Immune System
One of the major factors impacting your immune system is stress. What causes more stress in your life than a divorce? Therefore, you may find yourself coming down with more colds than usual during divore proceedings. A compromised immune system makes a person more likely to become ill, and once a person is sick, those problems make recovery difficult. A person who is already missing work to attend court hearings and other legal proceedings can often not afford to miss work because of prolonged sickness.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic Syndrome is the combination of increased blood pressure, intra-abdominal fat around the waist, and high blood sugar. This is often found in people with depression, which is often found in people going through a divorce. Watch out for the risk factors.
Heart Disease and Weight Gain
Divorce increases your risk of heart disease by 20%, especially in women. Unfortunately, divorce can lead to heartbreak in more than one way. Going through a divorce is like going through a death. Divorce can lead to a lot of the consequences of grief like a death in the family. One of these is weight gain, due to eating your feelings, lack of exercise or energy. Just because you are going through a divorce does not mean you should neglect yourself. Keep yourself healthy, eat right, and exercise. You will feel better when the divorce is over.
Hire an Attorney
As stated before, divorce and stress can lead to depression, which affects your mood.
Divorce can lead to less time with your kids, loss of some property, and emotional and physical turmoil. It can be hard to see the end of the tunnel when you are in the middle of your divorce, but you will reach the end, and you need to be physically healthy when you get there. Hiring an experienced family law attorney can help you avoid some of the stresses and keep you healthy to start your new life. The attorneys at Vayman & Teitelbaum understand how difficult a divorce is and we are prepared to help. Call one of our conveniently located Atlanta metro area offices to discuss your needs today.
