New Delhi: Happy wife, happy life – but when it comes to relationships, it is about both partners and not just one. Relationship status and quality can also significantly take a toll on mental and physical health alike. And while some might think that a happy and stable relationship has no direct impact on health, in truth, it does. Studies have shown that supportive and strong connections lead to better health outcomes. A study published last year found that married people are less likely to be depressed.
How does relationship status affect mental health?
According to a 2023 study, having a long-term partner can reduce the risk of dying from heart failure. Another study found that a happy and healthy marriage could reduce the risk of dementia in the long run. A study published in the Alzheimer’s and Dementia journal found the same. For this, it studied over 24,000 adults for 18 years. Unmarried adults or those who were either widowed, divorced, or never married were found to be less likely to develop dementia than married adults. Their risk of dementia was also lower in this group by 50%.
Researchers also noted that people who have never been married were at the lowest risk of all. In the study, 24,107 participants aged 50 to 104 were evaluated every day for 18 years. Each time a neuropsychological test of cognitive health was done and it was found that singletons were less likely to develop Lewy body dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or any other form of dementia. But at the start of the study, some participants already had mild cognitive impairment.
Researchers noted that unmarried people with mild impairment were less prone to dementia. Even widowed people were less prone to the risk than those who stayed married. Experts also evaluated other factors that could influence the odds of dementia, like race, age, gender, smoking habits, and education. Additionally, unmarried people were more likely to maintain healthier relationships and make friends with neighbours. Married people, on the other hand, had comparatively fewer interactions socially.