We all know the saying “happy wife, happy life”, but recent studies show that there is a shred of truth to this saying of the old.
After evaluating the answers given by 400 old aged couples (in which at least one spouse was 60 years or more), Vicki Freedman sociologist at the University of Michigan and coauthor to the University of Rutgers, Deborah Carr, found that women that regard marriage in a positive light have happier spouses, regardless of how the husband perceives their relationship.
In an ideal world, both spouses should be fully happy with their relationship. But if one of them is to be miserable, then it is preferable to be the husband, for the benefit of both.
Carr explained that for both partners, a successful marriage means a life full of satisfaction and happiness. But how spouses perceive marriage is more important in some respects. If the wife is happy with her marriage, she tends to do more for her husband, which has a positive impact on his life.
Men, on the other hand, tend not to express their feelings, so the way they perceive marriage doesn’t have the same impact on wives.
A successful marriage helps you grow old beautifully
Both for men and women marriage significantly combats the effects of aging. Scientists have found that a happy couple’s life helps:
- to live longer
- to eat healthier
- to develop habits that involve fewer risks
- to prevent the occurrence of depression and other mental illnesses
- to have a stronger immune system
- to fight cancer and heart disease
Although his work research shows that women may be less affected by the state of dissatisfaction of their partners, Carr argues that a healthy relationship influences the health of the partners positively. She says that the quality of marriage is important, as it protects the couple from the harmful effects of stress factors once they age, and helps partners to overcome difficult health situations.