Relationship Insider: Is this the secret to a happy marriage?

Sure, we’ve all heard a lot about how to keep a relationship going and strong. First, communication is key. Second, the wife has to show appreciation for her husband. Third, don’t stop dating. And the list goes on. We acknowledge that these tips are all tried and true, and help immensely in sustaining a happy and long-lasting marriage. But, what if we tell you that there’s an easier (and really fun) way that would lead to the same results?

Introducing the magic of alcohol. A study published in The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Series reported that older couples tend to be more satisfied with their relationships when both husband and wife have a habit of drinking, in comparison to a higher rate of dissatisfaction between the couple in a relationship where only the wife drinks regularly. In particular, the women involved in the study showed more discontent than the men when they didn’t share the same drinking habits as their spouses.

However, this doesn’t mean that couples have to start drinking together to keep up with a happy marriage. Results showed that couples who abstained from drinking also reported increased marital quality. According to study author Dr. Kira Birditt of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, there is no concrete explanation as to why the situation is as such, but perhaps the findings simply suggest that “couples that do more leisure time activities together have better marital quality”. This might be more pertinent to older and retired couples who spend a lot of time together as well.

Alcoholism and heavy drinking are definitely societal problems we should counter, but this study has shown that perhaps a little alcohol won’t hurt. Well, guess it’s time to bust out those bottles and get ready for a memorable night of alcohol-induced laughter.

Dione Chen

Photo: Getty Images

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