According to a recent study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, happy marriages make for healthier people.
The study, which followed 1,681 people for 20 years, found a correlation between happy marriages and spouses' physical health.
Study participants were broken into two groups -- 18-39-year-olds and those ages 40-55. Researchers questioned each participant about how content they were in their marriages and about the marital problems they face. Respondents were then asked to rank their health as either excellent, good, fair or poor.
The researchers found that there was a strong correlation between good health and how happy people were in their marriages, regardless of age. They also found that for the younger group, the connection between increasing marital happiness and improving individual health was particularly strong, and that for the older group, decreasing marital problems was strongly linked to improving physical health.
"We wanted to compare the health trajectory with the happiness trajectory," co-author Cody Hollist said in a press release. "As health worsens, do their marriages stay stable? What we found is that there's a relationship between health and happiness for both age groups. If their health is good, their happiness is up."
This isn't the first time researchers have looked at the intersection of romance and health. In January 2013, a study found that hugging, kissing and cuddling can improve your health. And another study from that same month found that happily married people live longer than single people.
Click through the slideshow below for more interesting findings about marriage.
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Online Gaming Can Hurt Your Marriage
According to a Brigham Young University study, couples reported <a href="http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/16/is-online-gaming-messing-up-your-marriage/">lower marital satisfaction</a> when one spouse's gaming interfered with bedtime routines. Seventy-five percent of gamers' spouses wished their partners would put more effort into their marriages; however, when both spouses gamed, a majority reported greater satisfaction in their relationships.
The "Honeymoon Phase" Is A Myth
It turns out couples are happiest <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/04/marriage-research_n_2234804.html?utm_hp_ref=marriage">AFTER their first year of marriage</a>, according to an Australian study. Newlyweds were found to have a lower happiness score than couples who had been married longer. Researcher Melissa Weinberg attributed this to a "wedding hangover," or the depressed feeling couples get when the wedding is over and the marriage begins.
Getting Angry Can Help Your Relationship
Florida State University researchers discovered that short-term angry discussions can <a href="http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-08-21/news/33307414_1_relationships-forgiveness-successful-marriage">actually be beneficial</a>. Getting angry can help signal that certain behavior from your partner is unacceptable, said lead researcher James McNulty.
Cohabitating Couples Shown To Be Happier Than Married Couples
A study released in January found that while married couples exhibited health gains (most likely due to marriage benefits such as shared health plans), unmarried cohabitating couples experienced <a href="http://news.health.com/2012/01/23/living-together-may-be-mentally-healthier-than-marriage-study/" target="_hplink">greater happiness and self-esteem</a>.
Clarification: Language has been amended in this slide to represent more accurately the findings of the report.
The Later You Have Sex, The Better Your Relationships
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that having sexual intercourse at a later age corresponded with <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/10/19/virginity-and-marriage-_n_1981755.html?just_reloaded=1">less dissatisfaction with relationships</a> in adulthood. Higher education level and household income also corresponded to a later age of first sexual experience.
Interracial Marriage Rates And Acceptance Rising
Not only are <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/16/us/interracial-marriage/index.html">more interracial couples marrying</a>, but interracial marriage is more widely accepted than ever before. In 2010, 15 percent of new marriages in the U.S. were between spouses of different races; in 1980, only 6.7 percent of marriages were interracial.
Married People Are Healthier, Live Longer Than Singles
<a href="http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2012/11/14/study-married-couples-live-longer-healthier-lives-than-singles/">Studies show</a> that married couples experience lower levels of cancer, heart disease, depression and stress. The health benefits are even more pronounced for marrieds than for couples who are simply cohabiting.
Young People Expect Marriages To Last
A survey found that 86 percent of single and married people aged 18-29 <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/17/marriage-expectations_n_1784371.html">expect their marriages</a> to last a lifetime. Researcher Jeffrey Jensen Arnett told HuffPost that young people tend to have a romantic view of marriage and go into marriage determined to make it work.
Married Women Drink More Than Single Women
A <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/20/marriage-alcohol-study-wives-drink-single-women_n_1810133.html">study on marriage and alcohol</a> found that women drink more after getting married, possibly because they are influenced by their husbands (on average, men drink more than women). Men, on the other hand, were found to drink less after getting hitched.
Son-In-Law Key To Successful Marriage
Here's another reason to get along with your in-laws -- unless you're a woman, that is. A <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/in-laws-and-marriage_n_2199637.html">26-year longitudinal study</a> found that when a husband reported having a close relationship with his wife's parents, the couple's risk of divorce decreased by 20 percent. Conversely, when a wife reported having a close relationship with her husband's parents, the couple's risk of divorce increased by 20 percent.
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