When you take your vows and say: “I do”, you could be saying yes to a healthier, happier two of you
When it comes to health and happiness, what’s love got to do with it? Quite a lot, actually, with a growing body of research highlighting the benefits of being married.
Married people have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol than those who never married or were previously married, according to a 2017 Carnegie Mellon University study.
This supports the belief that unmarried people face more psychological stress than married people. Marriage may also protect against the development of heart disease and stroke, and could influence who is more likely to die of it, says a 2018 British Medical Journal study review.
The researchers found that people who aren’t married, or are divorced or widowed, are at a heightened risk of developing cardiovascular disease and coronary artery heart disease, compared with people who were married. Married people are less likely to experience dementia as they age, according to a 2019 study by Michigan State University. That’s the good news. The bad news is that divorcees are about twice as likely as married people to develop dementia.
Married men have a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) than their bachelor counterparts, says a 2017 University of Bath study, which found that wedded bliss apparently adds exactly 1.4kg to a man’s weight. But that seems a small price to pay, right?
Being happier for longer
A good marriage doesn’t just benefit your health. It can also have a lifelong positive impact on your levels of contentment. That’s because married couples – and, interestingly, couples who aren’t married but live together as if they were – stay happy through the so-called ‘Honeymoon Phase’ and well into old age, according to a 2017 study at Canada’s Vancouver School of Economics.
“Even after years, the married are still more satisfied (than singles),” said study co-author John Helliwell. “This suggests a causal effect at all stages of the marriage, from pre-nuptial bliss to marriages of long-duration. Marriage may help ease the causes of a mid-life dip in life satisfaction and the benefits of marriage are unlikely to be short-lived.”
So, what’s the secret to happy matrimony? Helliwell’s study found that people who are best friends with their partners tend to enjoy the biggest benefits from marriage and living together. “The well-being benefits of marriage are much greater for those who also regard their spouse as their best friend,” he explained. These benefits are on average about twice as large for people whose spouse is also their best friend.
Hugs and kisses also help, says a 2020 study from Binghamton University in the United States. “Non-sexual intimate touch” (that’s cuddling, snuggling, holding hands, and so on) might build stronger relationships. This is even true for people who aren’t naturally ‘cuddly’. According to a study lead by Samantha Wagner, “It all depends on how open, close, and secure you feel with that person, which is impacted by many, many factors.”
She added that there’s also evidence that “holding your partner’s hand while you’re arguing de-escalates the argument and makes it more productive”.
Being married, especially to your BFF, with whom you cuddle regularly, is scientifically proven to boost your happiness and improve your health. And let’s face it: if you’re going to pledge your life to someone for better or for worse, you might as well make it as happy and healthy as possible.
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