Heartbreak can literally make your heart go out of rhythm

According to a recent study, losing a loved one really can put you at an increased risk of developing an irregular heartbeat for the next 12 months.

The risk seems to be greatest among the under 60s and when the loss of the partner was least expected.

Researchers collected data from nearly 89,000 people newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and more than 886,000 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls between 1995 and 2014.

They looked at several factors that might contribute to the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, including age, sex, and underlying heart conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Of those diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, more than 17,000 had experienced partner bereavement, or a state of grief due to the loss of a spouse or lover, as had nearly 167,000 of the comparison group.

The study is published in the journal Open Hear.