A research project spanning a decade found that married couples who drink together stay married longer while those who do not have the same drinking habits are not as happy. The study led by Dr. Kira Birditt of the University of Michigan compiled interviews of over 2,7000 married couples and the results were later published in Journals of Gerontology B: Psychological Sciences. Data analysed from the sample found that married women over 50 were dissatisfied in their marriage if they drink but their husbands rarely drink alcohol.

Couples who drank alcohol together, on the other hand, had better marital quality and couples who did not drink as much or had the same level of alcohol consumption also had the same results. However, Dr. Birditt notes that the study is not suggesting that people, in general, should “change the way they drink” or that they “should drink more”. In an interview with Reuters Health, Birditt said that she is not sure why this is so but she has a theory. She notes that couples who have the same drinking habits are happier because they spend time drinking together. The couples who participated in the study have been with their spouses for an average of 33 years and 67% of them “were in their first marriage” during the study.

Drinking Responsibly

Doctors around the world often say that everything should be done in moderation and drinkig to much is bad for your health. Severe alcohol abuse is defined by the Alcohol Rehab Guide as the inability to manage one’s drinking habits. This can lead to a range of problems including a devastating impact on a person’s relationships and his or her professional goals. Overall health is also affected. While it is healthy to drink wine from time to time, drinking responsibly is still the order of the day.