Love and health go hand in hand. Humans need that level of connection, and being in a relationship can reap rewards.
Solid scientific evidence shows that relationships have positive effects on your health, especially your mental and physical wellbeing. Being social can encourage healthy habits and improve mortality rates (NCBI, 2011).
Good marriages promote health and longevity. When you’re on your own, contributing factors to ill health can include loneliness and higher stress levels. It’s important that we keep factors like these under control in order to lead a healthy and happy life.
In this article we share our top 5 ways that being in love can benefit your health and wellbeing.
Increases Life Expectancy
Being in love has been linked to a longer life expectancy. Research suggests that the emotional support and companionship found in loving relationships can significantly reduce the risk of mortality (Horn & Carter, 2021). Couples often motivate each other to maintain healthier lifestyles, attend regular medical checkups, and adhere to treatment plans. The presence of a caring partner provides a buffer against the stresses of life, contributing to overall better health and longevity. Furthermore, the social connections that come with a loving relationship can enhance mental health, creating a positive feedback loop that supports both partners' well-being.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Healthy relationships can contribute to lower blood pressure. The emotional stability and stress reduction that come from a supportive partnership help keep your heart in check. Studies have shown that individuals in loving relationships experience fewer spikes in blood pressure during stressful situations, thanks to the calming presence of their partner (Weinstein et al., 2016). Physical affection, such as hugs and kisses, releases oxytocin, a hormone known to reduce blood pressure. This combination of emotional and physical support creates a protective effect on cardiovascular health, promoting overall heart health and longevity.
Decreases Anxiety
Being in love can significantly decrease anxiety levels. Knowing you have someone to lean on during tough times can provide a sense of security and calm. The reassurance and support from a partner help mitigate fears and worries, making it easier to navigate life's challenges (Gawda & Korniluk, 2023). Engaging in regular communication and physical closeness with a loved one can lower the body's stress response, reducing symptoms of anxiety. This emotional bond acts as a stabilizing force, providing comfort and reducing the overwhelming feelings often associated with anxiety.
Reduces Stress Levels
Love is a natural stress-reliever. Physical affection and emotional support from a partner can lower cortisol levels, helping you manage daily stress more effectively. Sharing responsibilities and burdens with a loved one can lighten the load, making stressors more manageable. The laughter, companionship, and shared experiences in a loving relationship create a positive environment that buffers against stress. Regular positive interactions and mutual support help build resilience, enabling individuals to cope better with stress and recover more quickly from stressful events (Simpson & Rholes, 2017).
Improves Your Sleep
Sharing your life with someone you love can lead to better sleep quality. The comfort and sense of security provided by a loving relationship can help you relax and enjoy more restful nights. Studies have shown that individuals in stable relationships tend to fall asleep faster, experience fewer disturbances, and enjoy deeper sleep. The physical presence of a partner can create a soothing effect, reducing nighttime anxiety and promoting relaxation (Hofer, 2020). This improved sleep quality translates into better overall health, as adequate rest is crucial for cognitive function, mood regulation, and physical health.
Promotes Healthy Behaviors
Even when you’re in a relationship, it’s important to understand that you are individually responsible for your own happiness and well-being. However, it is very beneficial to support each other through good and bad times.When you have each other, it’s easier to get motivated and get off the couch. Encouraging one another to regularly exercise can help you stay healthy, sharpen your brain, and may even improve your immune system (Harvard Health Publishing, 2017).
When you’re cooking for two, it encourages you to cook proper meals, whereas when you’re single, you may be less likely to eat healthy meals, instead opting for more ready meals and takeouts.
Being in a relationship and feeling pleasure can create a positive attitude. It’s important to have a positive outlook on life, and when you’re experiencing new things with your loved one, you can focus your attention on this pleasure and consciously enjoy new experiences as they unfold (Harvard Health Publishing, 2017).
Provides mental support
Having social support from your loved ones is very beneficial, as it has a lot of symbolic meanings, creating a sense that one is loved, cared for, and listened to (NCBI, 2011). Being close to your partner can also soothe stress and anxiety (Web MD, 2013). You can share your worries with your loved one and talk about what is on your mind. This can help reduce the weight on your shoulders and help share the everyday burdens that can occur.
Relationships help retain a sense of purpose (Harvard Health Publishing, 2017). You have a greater sense of responsibility to stay healthy for the sake of your loved ones. The emotional support you receive enhances psychological well-being, reducing the risk of unhealthy behaviors and poor physical health (NCBI, 2011). There is also evidence to suggest that the support and intimacy felt from a hug can help protect against stress and infection (Carnegie Mellon University, 2014).
Time with other people makes us happier on a day-to-day basis, and time with a close partner can provide a buffer against the mood dips that come with increased physical pain (Harvard Health Publishing, 2017).
Supports your Cardiovascular Health
A happy marriage may be good for your blood pressure (Web MD, 2009). When you’re stressed, you may pick up bad habits that can contribute to high blood pressure. These unhealthy habits include eating unhealthily, drinking alcohol, or smoking (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Interacting with your partner can help reduce these stress levels and, more importantly, reduce blood pressure (Psychosomatic Medicine, 2001).
A recent study of 25,000 people in England found that among people having a heart attack, those who were married were 14% more likely to survive and were able to leave the hospital two days sooner than single people (EurekAlert, 2016).
You can influence your loved one’s heart health by setting an example. If you follow a healthy lifestyle, then it’s more likely that your loved ones will follow suit (NIH, 2012). Supportive interactions with others benefit immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular functions and reduce allostatic load, which reflects wear and tear on the body due, in part, to chronically overworked physiological systems engaged in stress responses (NCBI, 2011).
Boosts immunity
Studies have found that people in happy relationships have stronger immune functions than those who are not. Cortisol, a hormone your body releases when you’re under stress, tends to release in lower amounts in married people as compared with those who are single. When you have high cortisol levels, it can impair immune function (Harvard Health Publishing, 2016). During periods of increased stress, the immune cells are bathed in molecules that are essentially telling them to stop fighting. It suppresses the immune system and inflammatory pathways, rendering the body more susceptible to illness (Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science, 2011).
Being in a relationship helps broaden your positive emotions. The trust and compassion that you share can buffer against depressive symptoms and help reduce levels of stress (Psychology Today, 2016).
References
ASPE (2007) The effects of marriage on health
Carnegie Mellon University (2014) Hugs Help Protect Against Stress and Infection
Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science (2011) The Physiology of Stress
EurekAlert (2016) Marriage could improve heart attack survival and reduce hospital stay
Gawda, B., & Korniluk, A. (2023). Love as a protective buffer against existential anxiety. Journal of Psychiatry & Clinical Psychology/Psychiatria i Psychologia Kliniczna, 23(4).
Harvard Health Publishing (2010) Marriage and men’s health
Harvard Health Publishing (2011) Two Techniques for reducing stress
Harvard Health Publishing (2016) The health advantages of marriage
Harvard Health Publishing (2017) 5 research-backed lessons on what makes a happy life
Harvard Health Publishing (2017) How to achieve a positive attitude
Hofer, M. K. (2020). The smelly truth: Evidence that exposure to the scent of a romantic partner reduces stress reactivity and improves sleep efficiency (Doctoral dissertation, University of British Columbia).
Horn, A. J., & Carter, C. S. (2021). Love and longevity: A Social Dependency Hypothesis. Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology, 8, 100088.
Kahana, E., Bhatta, T. R., Kahana, B., & Lekhak, N. (2021). Loving others: The impact of compassionate love on later-life psychological well-being. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 76(2), 391-402.
Mayo Clinic (2015) 10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication
NCBI (2011) Social Relationships and Health: A flashpoint of health policy
NIH (2012) Love your heart
Web MD (2009) 10 surprising health benefits of love
Web MD (2013) 10 surprising health benefits of sex
Psychology Today (2016) Positive Emotions and Wellbeing
Psychophysiology (2014) Energized by love: Thinking about romantic relationships increases positive affect and blood glucose levels
Psychosomatic Medicine (2001) Partner Interactions Are Associated With Reduced Blood Pressure in the Natural Environment
* THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT DISEASE. |