Marriage good for heart, not just soul

CHICAGO, Ill. (WPVI) -- Marriage is good for the soul.

And it could be good for the heart. It might just save some lives.

We've heard before about how important it is to have strong social connections, a network of loved ones and friends when it comes to good health.

Now researchers in Michigan found that married adults who underwent major heart surgery had much better outcomes than those who were weren't married.

In fact, divorced, separated, or widowed patients had a 40-percent greater chance of dying or becoming disabled in the 2 years after their operation.

Heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S., and as more people undergo open-heart surgery, doctors have been trying to learn more about how to reduce death and disability.

Doctors are now trying to figure out why marriage has this protective effect.

But married or not, it's a good reminder to keep your loved ones close.