Monogamy Might Be Good For Your Health. Here's Why
When you share a special bond with another person, an intense attraction to their mind and body, it's likely you'd want them all for yourself. Monogamy, the practice of having a single partner for a duration of time, has been on the rise in America since the 1970s (per Greatist). While there are many people who openly share their love for being single, the mega-star Lizzo for example (via Femestella), PR Newswire reports 83 percent of people are happy in relationships.
Monogamy offers more than just comfortable companionship — it can truly improve your physical health. Scott Haltzman, M.D., shares the stunning mortality rate of unmarried women being 50 percent higher and single men are at a staggering 250 percent higher (via Everyday Health). Numbers like those might be enough to make anyone reconsider their relationship status. According to Harvard Health Publishing, married people enjoy even more health benefits as they are less likely to have a stroke, suffer from depression, and are more likely to survive a major operation.
Other surprising benefits of monogamy
Researchers say your long term partner is good for your ticker, reducing your risk of heart attack (via Shape). Multiple reasons account for this, including companionship, reduced stress, and better care. Further promoting this theory, a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests married people have a better chance of coping with heart disease than single folks do (via Harvard Health Publishing).
A final fun benefit of lengthier monogamous relationships is that they may allow for better (and bolder) sex, the kind that you may not typically enjoy with a newer partner (via HuffPost). The trust you share in your relationship can make you feel comfortable trying role play, props, and more risqué bedroom activities. According to HuffPost, sex can improve throughout a monogamous relationship as both partners become familiar with what pleases the other. A 2017 study showed that monogamous couples are considerably happier with their sex lives than those in open relationships (via Quartz).
While monogamy may not be everyone's preference, less stress, better sex, and a healthier life seem pretty appealing.