Hearing a relationship or marriage falling through the cracks because of a husband or wife's drinking habits isn't unheard of. That, however, may not be the case with couples have similar drinking habits. A ten-year study found that couples are happier when both partners consume alcohol or if they both refrain from it.
The study, which was published in the Journals of Gerontology B: Psychological Sciences, examined 2,767 married heterosexual couples over 50 years old in the United States. The research found that women drinkers aren't happy with their relationships or marriages when their husbands don't drink too, The Independent reported.
According to the study's results, around 45 percent of couples who both drink alcohol reported being less irritated or angry with each other. The same can be said for couples who abstain from alcohol. Couples where only one partner drinks tend to have more disagreements and problems.
Reasons Why
Dr. Kira Birditt, the study's author and a sociologist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said they are stunned as to why couples with similar drinking habits are happier. But they think "it could be that couples that do more leisure time activities together have better marital quality," the news outlet further reported.
Birditt, however, stressed that the research isn't encouraging people to drink more or change their drinking habits. But it's important for couples to consider stopping drinking when the other partner abstains from alcohol, according to Quartz. This puts couples on the same page and is a sign that they agree or in harmony with each other.
Heavy Drinkers: A Whole Other Topic
Still, the study's findings don't apply to heavy drinkers. People who excessively consume alcohol tend to have rocky relationships with their families or significant other.
Elaine Hindal, chief executive of the alcohol education charity Drinkaware, said heavy drinking negatively affects relationships. This is because alcohol "works on the brain to lower our inhibitions," which pushes people to say hurtful things that they don't mean and will regret once it escalates into an argument, The Independent added.
Alcohol-related family problems include violence, marital fights, jealousy, infidelity, divorce, and economic insecurity, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism listed. Alcohol also negatively impacts couples' sex lives.
According to Drinkaware, heavy alcohol drinking can reduce or numb both men and woman's sexual sensitivity. Dr. Abigael San, clinical psychologist and alcohol expert, said excessive alcohol can make it hard for men to get or maintain an erection. Women, meanwhile, may experience less lubrication, have a difficult time achieving orgasm, and usually have less intense orgasms.
