by Mary Ward

Having a lifelong companion is good for so many things in life. Putting aside all of the stereotypical jokes and connotations, marriage can actually be good for your health. Though some may argue that marriage can sometimes cause stress, it can provide some truly tangible health benefits that can make you live longer and be happier overall.

1. Marriage may help to protect your health. It is believed that there are many more economic and social benefits available to married couples, and therefore it can be beneficial to the health and care of an individual if they are married. They may have access to better resources or even health care in some instances.

2. Marriage offers companionship and friendship. In most cases, companionship can make a person happier. Knowing that you have a lifelong friend can be good for the mental health and therefore help a person to lead a long and healthier overall life.

3. Married couples generally are in better health. It may have something to do with the fact that there is somebody else to take care of an individual or just that the bond of marriage makes health much more tangible. Whatever the true correlation, the statistics show that individuals who are married generally maintain a better picture of health and live longer.

4. Married couples are less likely to smoke. The statistics show that married couples tend to smoke less overall. As smoking can be a huge contributor to poor health, those couples that maintain a non-smoking status are believed to live longer and be much healthier.

5. Married people are said to have lower blood pressure. In spite of the arguments that can sometimes cause a temporary rise in blood pressure, it is believed that married couples overall have lower and much healthier blood pressure levels. Manageable blood pressure levels result in a healthier lifestyle and longer life span.

6. Marriage is believed to provide a strong support network. The natural support network that most marriages provide contribute to a better picture of mental health. This means that people are healthier, happier, and more apt to live a much longer life.

7. Married couple are believed to live longer. Due to the emotional, mental, and physical support that marriage can provide, it is believed that it can have a great impact on an individual’s overall life expectancy. As a general whole, married people tend to live longer and lead much happier and healthier lives than single people do.

Marriage so often gets a bad rap that we tend to overlook the truly wonderful benefits of being married. Consider this your timely reminder for those of us celebrating years of wedded bliss, or perhaps the push that tips the scales in favor of the big day!

Mary Ward writes about various health care career topics, including how to obtain a masters in healthcare degree.