Marriage can provide great emotional support and comfort for both partners. You don’t have to look far to find stories about newlyweds who were best friends before they got married and how that friendship has grown into something even deeper after they said, “I do.”
Marriage brings a host of benefits that can improve your physical and mental health, as well as your finances. And it’s not just about love — you can reap these benefits as long as you have a stable relationship.
Here are some of the emotional benefits of marriage you get to enjoy.
1. Love and security
Marriage is all about love, but it’s also about security. When you get married, you’re committing to being with the person you love for the rest of your life.
You’re saying yes to spending every day with them, no matter what comes up in life. Marriage makes you feel safe because you know that no matter what happens, someone will always be at home waiting for you when you get there.
2. Companionship
Companionship is one of the exclusive emotional benefits of marriage. Marriage also brings companionship into your life.
Your spouse becomes your best friend — someone who knows everything about you and still loves you anyway! They’re also a source of support for dealing with difficult situations in your life and giving advice about things like finances or raising kids.
3. Sexual intimacy
Sexual intimacy is another benefit of marriage because it allows couples to experience physical closeness regularly without worrying about whether they’ll be rejected if they initiate contact or if they have an itch they need scratching right now.
4. Emotional support
Married couples receive greater emotional support from each other than do single individuals or cohabiting couples, who may not have the same commitment level as married couples have toward one.
5. You’ll feel less lonely
A significant reason people marry is to have someone to lean on when feeling down or alone. Marriage offers companionship in times of need, which helps reduce loneliness and depression in both partners.
6. Improved mental health
According to a study by researchers at Brigham Young University and Utah State University, married couples report better physical and mental health than their single counterparts.
The study found that married people were less likely to suffer from depression, chronic pain, or sleep disorders than single or divorced people.
7. Lower stress levels
According to research, married couples have better physical and mental health because they tend to handle stress better than unmarried couples. This may be because they have someone else in their lives with whom they can share responsibilities, such as household chores or childcare duties.
8. Greater life satisfaction
Compared with unmarried adults, married adults say they’re happier with their lives overall, according to sociologist Nicholas Wolfinger of the University of Utah: “This finding is consistent with previous research showing that marriage increases life satisfaction.”
9. Better physical health
Having an intimate partner who cares about you and whom you care about can help improve your mental health and well-being, which can lead to better physical health. A study published in 2010 found that being married was associated with a 50% lower risk of death from all causes than never having been married.
Conclusion
Marriage is about love, but it’s also about companionship, friendship, and family. It can provide emotional security from having someone to lean on in tough times. It also makes us feel like our lives are more meaningful and less lonely.
You can only enjoy the above emotional benefits only in a stable marriage. A chaotic marriage can be detrimental to the health of both spouses. So as married couples, your home must become a place of peace, joy, and love.
