Research Links Stable Marriage With Physical and Mental Health Benefits

Studies released around World Marriage Day suggest that stable relationships can support physical and mental health. Research by the University of Colorado Boulder found that physical contact between emotionally close partners, including holding hands, can synchronize heart rates and breathing and may reduce pain, particularly among women. Other studies indicate that spousal support can improve the chances of success when changing health-related behavior. Women who tried to quit smoking alongside their husbands were more likely to succeed than those who attempted it alone, while a Johns Hopkins University study found that couples who exercised together were more likely to lose weight effectively. Long-term, stable marriages have also been associated with longer lives and stronger psychological well-being. Some studies found that people in stable marriages tend to be more physically active and have lower rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes, although the findings describe associations rather than establishing that marriage directly causes these outcomes.