When it comes to the success of long-term marriages, a wife’s happiness is more important than her husband’s, according to new research. In fact, her happiness can make him happier with his life no matter how he feels about their union. “I think it comes down to the fact that when a wife is satisfied… Continue reading A Happy Wife Really Does Mean a Happy Life
Category: Relationships & Love
Age Alters Immune Response to Grief
Young people have a more robust immune response to the loss of a loved one, according to new research from the University of Birmingham in the UK, providing insight into how different generations cope with loss. The study, published in September 2014 the journal Immunity and Ageing, shows how the balance of our stress hormones… Continue reading Age Alters Immune Response to Grief
The 4 Signs of A Controlling Spouse
Marriage – in fact, any love relationship – is a two-way street. Partners need to be equal if it’s to work; one partner can’t be under the control of the other. If there are control issues, though, a marriage is probably in big trouble. “In marriage, our goal is to kindle, not douse, love. Trying… Continue reading The 4 Signs of A Controlling Spouse
Meaningful Relationships Help Us Thrive
Deep and meaningful relationships play a vital role in overall well-being. Past research has shown that individuals with supportive and rewarding relationships have better mental health, higher levels of subjective well-being and lower rates of morbidity and mortality. A paper published in August 2014 in Personality and Social Psychology Review provides an important perspective on thriving through relationships, emphasizes two types of support that relationships provide, and illuminates aspects where further study is necessary.
What is “thriving”?
Gratitude Can Win You New Friends
Parents have long told their children to remember to say thank you. Now the evidence is in on why it matters.
A study led by the University of New South Wales, Australia has shown for the first time that thanking a new acquaintance for help makes the person more likely to seek an ongoing social relationship with you.
Connection is the Key to Positive Personal Relationships
By Lynne D’Amico, PhD
You can improve communication without improving a relationship, but you can’t create connection without improving a relationship.
Communication has been hailed as a “holy grail” to interpersonal relationships, and is routinely promoted as the way to improve relationships between spouses, children, parents, and work colleagues. As years of research show, communication is definitely an important dimension of any relationship. But communication isn’t the key to fixing relationship problems. Connection is.
Dating with Cancer: When Do You Share Your Diagnosis?
By Tracy Maxwell
This article, which originally appeared on DemosHealth.com, is adapted from Being Single, With Cancer.
“At what point in a new relationship is it appropriate to reveal your status as a cancer survivor?”
If you have ever wondered what the right answer to this question is, you’re not alone. Many survivors ask the same thing when dating after cancer or during treatment.
“Soulmates” Have the Worst Relationships
If you’re looking for love as a Thirdager, you’re probably best off ditching the notion that finding your “soulmate” will guarantee a good relationship this time around. That’s the finding of research done at the University of Toronto and the University of Southern California. The study was published in 2014 in published the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
Friends and Your Health
Friendships can have a major impact on your health and well-being, but it’s not always easy to build or maintain friendships. Understand the importance of friendships in your life and what you can do to develop and nurture friendships.
What are the benefits of friendships?
Good friends are good for your health. Friends can help you celebrate good times and provide support during bad times. Friends prevent loneliness and give you a chance to offer needed companionship, too. Friends can also:
Increase your sense of belonging and purpose
“Solomon’s Paradox” Causes Unwise Choices
If you’re faced with a troubling personal dilemma, such as a cheating spouse, you are more likely to think wisely about it if you consider it as an observer would, according to a study done at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada and the University of Michigan. The findings, which will appear in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, demonstrate that talking about yourself in the third person and using your name when reflecting on a relationship conflict helps you solve the issue wisely.
Toxic Relationships Raise Your Blood Pressure
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have shown what you have probably suspected all along: Unpleasant or demanding interpersonal encounters increase hypertension risk. That unfortunate result is particularly true for women 51 to 64 — but not men. The study was published in May 2014 in the American Psychological Association’s journal Health Psychology.
Mourning the Death Of A Spouse
Losing a spouse is one of life’s most heartbreaking events. You may react in a number of different ways: sorrow, fear, even anger (that your husband didn’t look after his health, for example). You can also feel guilty that you have survived, while he hasn’t. You may even feel a certain sense of relief, especially if you have been an in–home caregiver or your spouse has been in a nursing home.
Angry Spouses And Low Blood Sugar
Lower blood-sugar levels may make married people likelier to be angry at their spouse, new research shows.
In a 21-day study, researchers found that blood glucose levels, measured each night, predicted how angry people would be toward their spouse at that time.
After the study ended, people with the lower blood glucose levels were also shown in a lab experiment to be more willing to subject their spouse to unpleasant noises than those with higher glucose levels.
Marriage Not as Heart-Healthy at 50+
People who are married have lower rates of several cardiovascular diseases compared with those who are single, divorced or widowed, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session in March 2014 in Washington D.C. However, Boomers and Beyond take note: The relationship between marriage and lower odds of vascular diseases is especially pronounced before age 50. For people aged 50 and younger, marriage is associated with 12 percent lower odds of any vascular disease.
9 Tips for Emotional Intimacy
By Paul Dunion
When I ask a couple in couples counseling, "So, tell me about the current status of your intimacy,” they inevitably start talking about their sex life. When I proceed to explain I am interested in their emotional intimacy, the male quickly turns his gaze toward his wife and the female typically speaks of the loneliness and isolation she experiences in the marriage. She may not know exactly what, but she does know something is missing in the marriage.
For Older Couples, Husband’s Health & Happiness Is Crucial
A husband’s agreeable personality and good health appear crucial to preventing conflict among older couples who have been together a long time, according to a release written by Jann Ingmire about a study done at the University of Chicago and published in March 2014 in the Journal of Marriage and Family.
The researchers found that the health and happiness of wives play less of a role in limiting marital conflict, perhaps because of different expectations among women and men in durable relationships.
Is Your Online Profile Too Revealing?
By Judith Bitterli
Editor’s Note: Internet dating is serious business. According to the Statistics Brain Research Institute, the internet dating scene generated $1.049 billion in revenue for the year 2012. And online dating sites aren’t the only place where potential mates are checking each other out. AVG Technologies, an online security firm, found in a survey that one in three young baby boomers (45-54) were also using social media such as Facebook and Twitter to research a person they might be interested in.
Bereavement Ups Heart Attack & Stroke Risk
We really can die of a broken heart – or at least suffer serious adverse health events. The risk of having a heart attack or stroke increases significantly during the 30 days after a partner's death, according to a study done at St. Georges College in London and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on February 24th 2014.