People get married for many reasons, such as love or even for convenience. Yet, I’ve never heard of anyone getting married to improve their physical health. But, maybe they should.
Recent research from the University of California has discovered that cancer patients who are married are more likely to survive than those who were not married. In a separate study involving heart attack patients, it was found that married patients were 14% more likely to survive than those who were not.
What Makes Marriage So Protective of Your Health?
The bottom line is that most research finds the beneficial health effects of marriage are primarily due to the social benefits of having a dedicated partner.
For example, if you or your spouse are facing a serious medical issue, the support you receive from your partner matters quite a bit and can really help with your recovery. This benefit is not true only when you are facing a medical crisis. The power of having an intimate partner and companion in your life makes it more likely that you’ll encourage one another to maintain a healthier lifestyle (including regular exercise and a healthier diet).
Similarly, you are more likely to discourage one another from engaging in habits that would be detrimental to your health, such as smoking or substance abuse.
Not So Fast!
Still, the health benefits of marriage apply only to those who have at least a minimal degree of relationship satisfaction. If there is a lot of conflict and emotional distance in your relationship, it can actually have a negative impact on your health. This makes sense because, as we already know, stress, in general, isn’t good for you.
For instance, a classic response to having a stress-filled day at work is to come home, “unwind” on the couch and drink a beer. You may feel emotionally drained from work, so when you are at home you might ignore your partner. Over time, resentment can build between the two of you. Additionally, the stress from work migrates home and eventually affects your physical health too.
However, contrast that situation with having a very supportive spouse. They can be of tremendous help, lending emotional support and ensuring that you don’t slip into negative coping habits.
So What’s Next? What Should You Do?
If you and your partner are struggling to feel satisfied in your relationship, consider these ideas:
- Try to determine how severe the problem is. Do the problems in your relationship go back many years, or are they a more recent issue?
- Next, examine your own contributions to the problems in your relationship and the stress they cause. What could you have done differently in the past to address the issue? How could you have reacted differently and what would the likely outcome have been?
- Take a look at how the relationship has impacted your health. Do you cope with the relationship stress well? Is your diet less healthy, are you exercising less? Are you even using drugs or alcohol to cope?
- If you haven’t already, make sure to seek out both individual and couples counseling to address your relationship and to better cope with the stress.
One last thing: staying in a toxic relationship may be bad for your health, but make sure to get the help you need first before giving up prematurely. Overall, the consensus is that being married has a positive influence on your health. If you are going through a medical or personal crisis, your partner can help you stay grounded and keep your spirits up.
Married partners can influence and encourage each other when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Still, if you and your spouse are struggling with your relationship, try the tips above and reach out for couples counseling for additional support.
