Study: Really Happy Couples Are the Only Ones Who Reap the Health Benefits of Marriage


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We’ve happily discussed the positive effects that marriage has on your health many times here on the blog (see all of the links below to review the benefits coming your way), but we’re now learning that not all married couples reap the benefits equally.

In a new study conducted by a psychology professor at Brigham Young University, it was found that couples in ambivalent marriages—which are defined as “unions that are not bad enough to leave but still have distinctly negative attributes “—do not get many of the health benefits that people in very fulfilling relationships do.

The study looked at 94 couples—a series of questions determined that one quarter of them were in happy marriages, while three quarters fell into the ambivalent group. They each had their blood pressure monitored every hour for a day, and the results indicated that couples in ambivalent marriages had worse levels than those who were genuinely happy (marriage is good for your heart, remember?)

It’s an interesting point to keep in mind. Click here to read more about the study.

RELATED: Study: Marriage Is Literally Good for Your Heart 

RELATED: Study: Marriage Has More Health Benefits for Men Than Women

RELATED: Study: Married People Get Fat and Live a Long Time 

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