Books have postured, speakers preached, your grandparents have talked about it, your mum has always wondered – what truly is the secret to a long and successful relationship.
It’s booze. Yep. That’s what science says.
Now look, there are studies out there that prove everything. But this one seems of a reasonable standard. Patience, good memory, understanding, conversation; sure, they help. But if you do all of these and drink together, the quality of your relationship is apparently improved over time. Especially if you’re the wife!
Apparently, couples over the age 50 had better marriages if either both partners drank or if both partners abstained from drinking. We guess it’s down to having things in common. But if one person in the relationship remained sober while the other drank, you’ve got a recipe for disaster, especially if you happen to be the non-drinker. No surprises there.
A summary of the result explains, “Wives who reported drinking alcohol reported decreased negative marital quality over time when husbands also reported drinking and increased negative marital quality over time when husbands reported not drinking.”
Reuters reported that researchers questioned 4,864 married people in 2,767 couples who have been together for an average of 33 years, two thirds of which were on their first marriage. They asked their participants how many times per week they drank, and how much they threw down their gullet once they started. Then they asked, no doubt in a private room, whether their partner was “irritating, critical or too demanding.”
Perhaps the case is that couples who enjoy more leisure together are in a better place. That would make sense. What was beautiful about this study though, is that there was no judgement passed on drinking at all, though it was noted that around 20 percent of men and 6 percent of women who took part in the study had what could only be described as serious drinking problems.
So be responsible next time you crack that bottle of wine, but don’t feel guilty in the slightest if you share a glass. Your relationship will be better for it.
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