Marriage is one of the most important institutions affecting people’s life and well-being. The marital institution regulates sexual relations and encourages commitment between spouses.

Consequently, it may bring many benefits to the couple.

The effects of marriage on spouses’ well-being

The benefits of marriage have been studied in psychology, sociology and epidemiology.

Researchers in these fields have documented that, compared to singles, married people have better physical and psychological health (eg less substance abuse and less depression) and that they live longer.

Although studies also showed that married people earn higher incomes than single people, this might solely be due to the fact that men with higher earning potential are more likely to find a partner and get married.

How does marriage contribute to well-being?

First, marriage provides an additional source of self-esteem, for instance by providing an escape from stress in other parts of one’s life, in particular, one’s job.

It is advantageous for one’s personal identity to have more than one leg to stand on. Second, married people have a better chance of benefiting from a lasting and supportive intimate relationship, and suffer less from loneliness.

But the difference in happiness between married people and people who were never married has fallen in recent years.

The ‘happiness gap’ has decreased because those who have never married have experienced increasing happiness, and those who are married have experienced decreasing happiness.

The big question

However, does marriage create happiness or does happiness promote marriage? In other words, does marriage itself make people happy, or do happy people get married?

It seems reasonable that grumpy, dissatisfied people find it more difficult to find a partner than those who are compassionate and loving.

A study done in Switzerland may have the answer to this question. True enough, it was discovered that it may be the case in a certain age group.

Several concepts may explain this pattern. Some psychologists put forward an explanation that marital transitions cause short-term changes in subjective well-being.

Others take it as evidence for adaptation. Adaptation in the marriage context means that people get used to the pleasant and unpleasant stimuli they get from living with a partner in a close relationship.

After some time they experience more or less their baseline level of subjective well-being.

In fact, another study indicates that except for that initial short-lived honeymoon effect for satisfaction, getting married did not result in being happier or more satisfied.

For life satisfaction and relationship satisfaction, the trajectories over time may even be headed in the less satisfied direction.

So, whether or not you’re getting married is not going to be the main determining factor of your happiness. It actually begins with yourself.

This article first appeared in hellodoktor.com and was reviewed by Panel Perubatan Hello Doktor. The Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.