Relationship between marital health and physical well-being

Running head: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MARITAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING Relationship between Marital Health and Physical Well-Being Name: University: Student Number: Date: Relationship between marital health and physical well-being Introduction Marriage is an institution that attracts many research studies in the world. There are various issues that surround the marital relationships in the society. Marriage is associated with several behaviors, and many couples portray certain characteristics that are not common in the single or divorced people in the society. The family, formed by married people, is the fundamental unit of a community. Thus, the behavioral patterns demonstrated by married couples are of primary importance to the social fabric that exists in a society. Hence, the society can be judged using the characteristics that are shown by the married people. Marriage, for example is associated with the physical and psychological experiences of the partners. This paper explores the core relationship between marriage and the physical well-being of people who are married. Marriage can be credited with the physical and mental well-being of the individuals who are married (Bird & Rieker, 2008). There exists overwhelming evidence that married adults are more comfortable and healthier than their unmarried friends, who face many health problems (Bird & Rieker, 2008). The adults who have never married and the divorced or the widowed are believed to experience riskier health problems in their lives than adults who are living marriage life in the world (Bird & Rieker, 2008). However, this trend has been said to vary according to the ages of the singles, the divorced and the widowed. For example, those who are widowed and are older are less likely to face acute health problems than their younger mates (Bird & Rieker, 2008). The married adults experience several advantageous lifestyles in terms of economic, social and physical support in the society (Bird & Rieker, 2008). Married people have emerged to be the category of people in the society who are least affected by disabilities and chronic conditions (Beach, 2006). This is because they receive invaluable support from their partners whenever they fall sick. These chronic disease conditions have been confirmed to be higher in the adults who are divorced, widowed and single respectively, according to the United States health data (Beach, 2006). Thus, the married people are better placed health wise than their unmarried fellows in the society. This can be attributed to the fact that married people have better healthcare policies, and they tend to make sound healthcare decisions than the divorced and the single people. Married people are conscious on the issues of healthcare, since they may be driven by the desire to care for one another in their families, a force that lacks in those who are not married. The marriage institution is associated with improved physical health in terms of nutritional values (Wood, Goesling & Avellar, 2007). Couples can develop good eating habits, which reduces the risks of suffering nutritional related deficiencies. Most married adults are associated with improved economic status, which enables them to budget adequately for food substances in their homes. Partners can encourage each other to follow desirable eating habits in their lives, something that adds up to good health (Wood, Goesling & Avellar, 2007). It is common for married people to help each other take exercises, which improves the health conditions of individuals. By doing this, married people rarely suffer from dietary problems or the nutrition problems (Wood, Goesling & Avellar, 2007). Regular exercise is important for the human body to develop properly, and it is essential in eliminating stress and depressions in people. Thus, married people are healthier than the unmarried. Research shows that many married people discourage unhealthy habits from their partners (Wood, Goesling & Avellar, 2007). For example, people who were alcoholics and drug addicts in their childhood are highly likely to change these behaviors when they get married (Wood, Goesling & Avellar, 2007). Smoking and heavy drinking are the most notable habits that are mainly reduced when individuals get married (Wood, Goesling & Avellar, 2007). This improves the health condition in the victims and can eliminate untoward behaviors from the individuals. Married adults can convince each other to stop antisocial behaviors in an amicable way than people who are not married. Hence, it has been observed that there exists a relationship between marital health and the physical well-being of the partners. Spouses can monitor and evaluate the social behaviors of each other, which helps them to rectify their habits to the advantage of their physical well being. Marriage, in most cases, is accompanied by financial stability (Staton, 2008). There various financial benefits that are entitled to married workers in the labor force in many countries, which improves the economic status of these adults. Consequently, married people have better access to healthcare programs in most countries (Staton, 2008). The financial stability in the married people enables the couples to seek better medical attention when they get sick, than the unmarried people (Staton, 2008). Several research studies show that married adults have greater access to private health insurance systems, which cover their medical requirements and thus improving their health status (Staton, 2008). This shows that the married people are physically healthier than the divorced, widowed and the single adults. It is also reported that married people have less hospital stays, as compared to the unmarried people who spend longer times in hospitals when they get sick (Staton, 2008). These are pleasing statistics for the married people in the society, since they show how marriage can improve the healthcare in the society. Marriage reduces the limitations that are associated with old age in the growth stages of the human being (Staton, 2008). Studies show that elderly people who are widowed or never married face many difficulties in carrying out daily tasks, as compared to the married elderly couples (Staton, 2008). For instance, widowed people who are more than sixty five years of age are said to be three times more likely to have difficulties in doing the routine home chores than the married people of the same ages (Staton, 2008). This strong physical health in the married people shows that the marriage institution is advantageous in terms of physical well being of individuals. Thus, old people who are still married enjoy a healthier physical well being than the unmarried. This is because marriage is believed to lower the limitations that come with the old age, and thus the elderly and married people are healthier than the widowed and the single (Staton, 2008). Research studies also show that the old people who are still married are less stressed than the widowed and the singles who never married (Staton, 2008). The heart failure is a major disorder that affects many people in the modern world. However, medical studies done on the issue of the heart disease show that this disorder is less common in the married people (Staton, 2008). As Staton writes, married people have lower risks of developing heart attacks, than the unmarried, due to the mental comfort that exists in most healthy marriages (Staton, 2008). For example, research findings have relatively indicated that women who are divorced and above fifty years of age are more likely to suffer from heart disease than the married women (Staton, 2008). Most divorced or widowed women often suffer blocked arteries than their married friends (Staton, 2008). Thus, marriage is seen as a good institution that can help the society fight some of these fatal diseases. The physical well being of adults, especially women, is largely affected by the marital health (Staton, 2008). Those who are in turbulent marriages suffer many psychological disparities, due to stressful experiences. There are other health traits that are associated with the married people. For example, sleeping is very important in the human health (Beach, 2006). Marriage has proved to be of vital importance when the sleeping habits are considered. Most married people have healthier sleeping habits, as compared to their unmarried counterparts (Beach, 2006). The unmarried people are usually mentally perturbed by many issues in life, thus they do not enjoy good sleeping measures like the married people. Another healthy trait that lacks in the people who are unmarried is the medication adherence (Beach, 2006). Married people are reportedly very conscious of the medication adherence, due to the support and care that they offer each other (Beach, 2006). Studies show that most adults who are single do not follow medical prescriptions as instructed by physici...