Spouse's personality influences your health

It is to your advantage before major surgery to be in good physical shape and possess a positive frame of mind. Research has shown a patient's mood and personality before surgery plays a role in post-surgical mental and physical recovery. But if you're married, your loving spouse can have a major influence on your recovery, too.

New research on over 100 coronary artery bypass patients and spouses reveals it is ideal to have a depression-free spouse before you undergo a major health challenge. Patients married to a neurotic and anxious spouse were more likely to self-report depressive symptoms 18 months later. Spousal caregivers were also negatively impacted by generally anxious and neurotic patient-spouses -- they reported high levels of caregiving burden and strain.

Nurturing your own good mental health while being married to a depressed spouse is difficult enough. But when you're recovering from a major surgery and your primary caregiver is depressed, these results make perfect sense.