There are many ways to keep a relationship thriving. Communication, respect, honesty, trust and, last but not least, alcohol.
According to a new study, couples who imbibe together reported fewer instances of declining happiness and marriage quality over time. Time to celebrate these findings with a cold one, right?
Researchers interviewed 4,864 married couples and noted their levels of alcohol consumption and negative marital qualities (such as criticism and demands between the two). The couples had been together for 33 years on average, and two-thirds were on their first marriage.
Couples older than 50 reported having better marriages if both members of the relationship drank or if both obstained. However, if one party stayed sober while the other drank, couples were found to be unhappy, particularly wives. Surprise, surprise.
“We’re not sure why this is happening,” Dr. Kira Birditt of the University of Michigan told Reuters. “But it could be that couples that do more leisure time activities together have better marital quality.”
So the next time you’re planning a date night, skip the fancy dinner and head to the bar. But try not to take it too far. Twenty percent of men and 6 percent of women in the study had drinking problems.