The question that will arise at this time is – Can a romantic relationship makes an impact on one’s overall well-being? Facebook can answer it in one of its phrases – It’s complicated. Being in a romantic relationship doesn’t guarantee one to achieve their desired health goal. Particular research found out that for a person to increase their chances of avoiding illness, one must adopt healthier habits to live longer and get involved in a secure and stable partnership. Contrary to that, troubled relationships lead both parties to welcome stress and have a high tendency in having weak immunity.
Factors affecting health that relate to a romantic relationship are ranging from the behaviors exhibited to each other to habits passed on to each other. Whatever romantic relationship couples have, either dating casually, shacking up, or already married, the following fundamental ways will affect one’s mind and body. As explained by Dr. Chantal Gagnon PhD LMHC, “Happy people do things differently. They make their emotional wellbeing a priority and practice daily and weekly habits that help them create joy, happiness and satisfaction in their lives.”
Sexual Encounters
Many will say that sex is a significant factor in why a romantic relationship has a good impression on our body. We can’t deny the fact that sex is a form of exercise that increases the heart rate and may be compared to walking upstairs. If a partner has a medical condition such as heart disease and intermittent chest pain, they must be aware because it can worsen their situation. In this case, extreme sexual activities should be discontinued, and couples should try to look for alternative ways of expressing physical closeness.
Stress Levels
It is not surprising to find out that regular sex appears to minimize stress and boost well-being. Couples who have various physical intimacy tend to have a healthier mentality and show more satisfaction in life. However, sex is just one aspect of a romantic relationship. Jor-El Caraballo, LMHC said, “Relationships in and of themselves do not create mental illness.” However, he adds, “When we suffer in our relationships, it can be difficult to move forward from past hurt and trauma.” The outside environment may contribute to couples’ stress levels such as money, household chores, and parenting disputes. It is normal to have disagreements quite sometimes, but too much of it will cause physical and emotional pains that may lead to breaking up.
If you are going through a tough time in your romantic relationship, talk to an experienced counselor from BetterHelp today. To learn more about it, you may check their reviews here, or watch some videos of their past and current clients. It is always a good thing to be able to reach out to someone and talk about how you feel.
Feel-Good Hormones
Hugging for both men and women increases blood levels of oxytocin, a hormone that helps in improving mood. Also, it is useful in lowering high blood pressure and stress hormone cortisol. Other caring behaviors that may have the same effects as hugging are rubbing shoulders, holding hands and even touching. It will only take a short moment to stimulate those hormones that may help to overcome stress and anxiety.
Sleep Problems
To sleep in the same bed with the one you love promotes relaxation and deepens sleep. But of course, if a bedmate snores or changes position frequently, it will be another story. People are more likely to suffer daytime fatigue if their partners have insomnia. On the same way, a relationship can somehow affect the sleep of couples. Frequent quarrels and problems may result in poorer sleep or vice versa.
Depression And Anxiety
Marital challenges and problems may put one’s relationship on edge and worst may cause one or both of the couple to suffer anxiety or depression. On the other of the coin, long-term relationships can help in reducing the risk for anxiety and depression. It is essential in choosing for a partner, behavior and other essential characteristics must be on the criteria.
Alcohol Use
Partners may influence the frequency of each other in alcohol consumption. Some people’s drinking habits tend to mirror those of their spouse. If the spouse does not drink alcohol, possibly her partner will consume less. But if the partner is a heavy drinker, the other is more likely to do so. Alcohol drinking can use either spice up or damage a relationship. It is important that both partners should be aware of their alcohol limit and be responsible when drinking.
Final Words
When couples find themselves in an uncomfortable situation, good advice is to talk it through with each other and find solutions that both are amenable and comfortable with. “Through the counseling process, couples find ways to improve their level of relationship satisfaction, sometimes they can also identify obstacles or characteristics that are too much to bear for either person or for the relationship to overcome.” Dana Baduna, PhD, LMFT said.