"I need somebody to love," sang the Beatles, and they got it right. Love and health are intertwined in surprising ways. Humans are wired for connection, and when we cultivate good relationships, the rewards are immense. But we're not necessarily talking about spine-tingling romance.
Who doesn't love being in love? A true Valentine listens to you vent about work, lets you have that last slice of pizza, and (usually) remembers to take out the trash. He doesn't expect you to watch the Super Bowl. And he always thinks you're y, even in thermal underwear and bunny slippers.
Scientists have long been keen to prove that love gives us health benefits. Researchers can't say for sure that romance trumps an affectionate family or warm friendships when it comes to wellness. But they are homing in on how , kinship, and caring all seem to make us stronger, with health gains that range from faster healing to living longer.
Most of the research in this area centers on marriage, but Reis believes many of the perks extend to other close relationships -- for example, with a partner, parent, or friend. The key is to "feel connected to other people, feel respected and valued by other people, and feel a sense of belonging," he says.
The benefits of love:
1.Protects your heart
A University of Pittsburgh study found that women in good marriages have a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those in high-stress relationships.
2.Leads to a longer life
The National Longitudinal Mortality Study, which has been tracking more than a million subjects since 1979, shows that married people live longer. Plus, they have fewer heart attacks and lower rates, and even get pneumonia less frequently than singles.
3.Less Depression & Substance Abuse
According to the Health and Human Services report, getting married and staying married reduces depression in both men and women. This finding is not surprising, Reis says, because social isolation is clearly linked to higher rates of depression. What's interesting is that marriage also contributes to a decline in heavy drinking and abuse, especially among young adults.
4.Lower Blood Pressure
A happy marriage is good for your blood pressure. That's the conclusion of a study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine. Researchers found happily married people had the best blood pressure, followed by singles. Unhappily married partints fared the worst.
Reis says this study ilrates a vital aspect of the way marriage affects health. "It's marital quality and not the fact of marriage that makes a difference," he tells WebMD. This supports the idea that other positive relationships can have similar benefits. In fact, singles with a strong social network also did well in the blood pressure study, though not as well as happily married people.
5.Better Stress Management
If love helps people cope with pain, what about other types of stress? Aron says there is evidence of a link between social support and stress management. "If you're facing a stressor and you've got the support of someone who loves you, you can cope better," he tells WebMD. If you lose your job, for example, it helps emotionally and financially if a partner is there to support you.
6.Happier Life
It may seem obvious that one of love's greatest benefits is joy. But research is just beginning to reveal how strong this link can be. A study in the Journal of Family Psychology shows happiness depends more on the quality of family relationships than on the level of income. And so we have scientific evidence that, at least in some ways, the power of love trumps the power of money.
Just stay true, inlove and most of all, all things come in moderation