10. Health Benefits Of Love. - Romance

It takes a calmer, more stable form of love to
yield clear health benefits. "There is very nice
evidence that people who participate in
satisfying, long-term relationships fare better
on a whole variety of health measures,"

Most of the research in this area centers on
marriage, but love gurus 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. Here are 10
research-backed ways that love and health are
linked:

1. Fewer Doctor's Visits
Another theory is that people in good
relationships take better care of themselves. A
spouse may keep you honest in your oral
hygiene. A best friend could motivate you to eat
more whole grains. Over time, these good
habits translate to fewer illnesses.

2. 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.

3. 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 participants fared the worst.
Reis says this study illustrates a vital aspect of
the way marriage affects health. "It's marital
quality and not the fact of marriage that makes
a difference," 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.

4. Less Anxiety
When it comes to anxiety, a loving, stable
relationship is superior to new romance.

5. Natural Pain Control
In a study of more than 127,000 adults, married people
were less likely to complain of headaches and
back pain. The happier the marriage, the greater
the effect.

6. Better Stress Management
If love helps people cope with pain, what about
other types of stress? If you lose your job, for example, it
helps emotionally and financially if a partner is
there to support you.

7. Fewer Colds
We've seen that loving relationships can reduce
stress, anxiety, and depression -- a fact that
may give the immune system a boost.

8. Faster Healing
The power of a positive relationship may make
flesh wounds heal faster.

9. Longer Life
A growing body of research indicates that
married people live longer.
Marriage protects against death by warding off
feelings of isolation. "Loneliness is associated
with all-cause mortality -- dying for any reason,"
In other words, married people live
longer because they feel loved and connected.

10. 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.

Nurture Your Relationships
To foster a loving relationship that yields
concrete benefits, four tips are offered:
1. If you are depressed or anxious, get
treatment.
2. Brush up on communication skills and learn
to handle conflict.
3. Do things that are challenging and exciting
with your loved one on a regular basis.
4. Celebrate each other's successes.