Her strain is your pain: In a University of Michigan study of more than 1,300 married and cohabitating couples, men with stressed-out spouses were more likely to have high blood pressure than those with more laid-back partners.

On the flip side, a man’s stress level didn’t affect his wife’s blood pressure at all.

How does her ticker stay out of trouble while yours pounds under pressure? It may have to do with the fact that guys tend to rely on their partners for support more than women do.

So when she’s preoccupied with stress, your anxiety stays bottled up—which has negative implications for your heart, says study author Kira Birditt, Ph.D.

“Husbands may experience distress when wives are stressed because wives aren’t able to provide them with support in these circumstances,” says Birditt.

Your mission is to find out what’s giving her so much grief. (Your health depends on it!) Clear the static with these four magic words: How was your day? Give her the uninterrupted airtime she needs to vent, air her grievances, or share what’s happening.

Even if she’s stressed out, your show of support will help her regain some equilibrium. It’s always good to listen to your partner and be there for her emotionally without feeling the need to ‘fix it’, says Birditt.

(Follow these 30 Ways to Be a Better Husband to make your relationship even stronger.)

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