Playing the Field

Breaking up is hard to do, no matter what age you are. But a recent study found that a broken heart might have some unpleasant health side effects, especially for women over the age of 35.

The University of Alabama study was conducted on the premise that those leaving long-term relationships in middle age might face greater health risks when starting to date again. The research found that older women faced depression, lack of support and lack of information.

That last bit is critical because many women who have been divorced or widowed later in life are not always educated about sexually transmitted diseases, but are actually biologically more at risk for contracting them than they were in their 20s. In fact, half the women surveyed for the study had a sexually transmitted infection. So, while it’s great to get out there and play no matter how old you are, make sure you’re taking care of yourself first! [Physorg.com]