Being in love can affect more than just your heart fluttering and your knees weakening—it may actually provide some benefits to your health and well-being.
Research has shown that in terms of health and life-expectancy, married men are much better off than their bachelor buddies—while married women are less likely to suffer from depression than their unmarried girlfriends, and that’s only the beginning. Studies are beginning to be published that determine exactly how sex, kinship, and caring all seem to make us healthier, stronger, and live longer.
So, let’s jump in!
Helps Beat Cancer
Starting out with a bang here!
Researchers at the University of Iowa found that ovarian cancer patients with a strong sense of connection to others and/or were involved in satisfying relationships had more white blood cell activity, the body’s natural cancer killer, at the site of the tumor than those without strong social ties.
Defuses Stress
As we all know, stress is a catalyst for an immense amount of issues that plague us everyday—from headaches to back pain and everything in-between. Well, it turns out that some studies have found that happy couples produce less of the hormone cortisol when they’re stressed. This is positive since too much cortisol suppresses the immune system leaving us in harms way to colds, muscle aches, flu, and worse.
Mild Pain Control
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a study of more than 127,000 adult—married people were less likely to complain of headaches and back pain.
Strong Pelvic Floor Muscles
For women, weak pelvic muscles can cause incontinence later in life. Routine intercourse strengthens these muscles and actually improves sexual performance in the future.
Improved Self Esteem
Researchers from the University of Texas reported that people in committed relationships have much higher self-esteem and self worth than their single friends.
Live Longer
Since 1979, the National Longitudinal Mortality Study has been examining more than a million subjects and has concluded that married people generally outlive single people.
Stronger Heart
Intimacy, and even a simple hug, releases high levels of oxytocin, a hormone occasionally referred to as the “cuddle hormone.” The University of North Carolina reports that oxytocin plays a role in social bonding and has an extremely powerful effect on our cardiovascular systems.