Experts have long debated whether marriage makes people happier, or whether happier people are just more likely to marry. New research may finally have an answer.
of the individual. In terms of life satisfaction, women saw an increase before the wedding day. Afterward, though, it dropped to a level below what it had been before they got engaged. This pattern suggests that many women approach marriage with unrealistic expectations and end up disappointed with the day-to-day realities of marriage.
So, will getting married make you healthy and happy? According to the data collected by Huntington and colleagues, the answer is probably not. As the researchers point out, both men and women get a boost in general health during the engagement period. However, this is probably due to being on their best behavior during this time, as evidenced by the drop in alcohol consumption before marriage and a return to old habits afterward.