“There is only one happiness in this world, to love and to be loved”
-George Sand
Love, it’s the thing that sells greeting cards and chocolates. It’s the stuff that ‘rom com’s are made of. But, is love really something stupid or can it actually save your life? Does being in love make you a healthier human?
It All Starts In Adolescence
Who doesn’t remember their first crush and or first love interest? The swirls of dopamine serotonin and oxytocin putting you in that first crush love high. Studies show that romantic relationships and experiences are important in development and social bonding.
By middle adolescents, most boys and girls have been involved in one romantic relationship. Positive relationships experienced in adolescents with strong emotional bonding are vital in the development of romantic relationships. Although, there are studies that suggest there’s a greater chance for depressive issues in adolescents who are in romantic relationships.
Blinded By Love And Science
An abundance of scientific evidence exists to prove that social relationships have significant effects on the human body. Various studies have found that people who have low levels of social interactions are more likely to die than those who have greater social interactions. The risk of death in these studies amongst men and women with the fewest social ties were more than twice as high than the risk for adults with more social ties. Morbidity and mortality rates among married people are lower than those who are unmarried. Unmarried people were found to be at greater risk of heart attacks, cancer, and surgical procedures.
Heart Health and Love
The saying is true, “happy wife, happy life.” A 2013 study conducted by the University of Michigan found that women who were in happy marriages had lower risks of heart disease. Studies have also shown that couples in happy relationships had lower blood pressure ratings.
Relationships Influence On Healthy Behaviors
When your spouse, family member or friend tells you to stop smoking or not to have that second piece of cake, they could be saving your life! Social ties influence health behaviors in people by influencing or controlling health habits. For example, a spouse may regulate or facilitate health behaviors that can improve health. In healthcare, it’s not uncommon to have a spouse or significant other influence a patient’s medication or diet regimen. Meanwhile, a study found that married couples had a 10-15 percent lower risk of dying prematurely.
Partnerships and Mental Health
Being cared for decreases anxiety. Having a supportive loving partner will of course make you feel good about yourself. A study conducted in 2017 noted that being in a relationship had a positive impact on your self-esteem.
On average, married people have better mental and physical health than single people do. It’s true, a troubled marriage can also add stress to a person’s health which can cause problems. Distressed marital relationships can lead to depression. There are studies show that depression causes multiple issues in the body related to the endocrine system, nervous system, cardiac, immune and neurocognitive systems which can lead to premature death.
Better Sleep
We all need sleep better sleep. Partners slept better alongside a loving partner who is responsive to their needs. This was noted in a study conducted in Turkey with 700 participants.
The Happiness Factor
Harvard conducted a grant study over a 75 year period. The results found that overall good relationships keep us happier. So, if you are asking yourself whether or not you should put more effort into cultivating healthier relationships, the answer is yes if you want to live a longer and healthier life.
What Healthcare Providers Should Keep In Mind
Relationships are important factors to consider when healthcare providers are completing healthcare assessment on their patients. Asking a patient if they’re have personal relationships: spouses, romantic partners, and friendships could uncover data that is pivotal in diagnosis and treatment of a patient’s healthcare issue. COVID-19 has caused much social isolation paired with increased depression and suicide. Heart health, blood pressure and mental health can all be affected both positively and negatively by relationships and marriage.
