Strong Relationships are Good for Your Health

By Michele Ritterman

You know that maintaining intimacy is important for your relationship with your partner. But did you know that it's also good for your health?

Psychologists and researchers have discovered a number of benefits for people who experience intimacy in their committed relationships. In fact, closeness in relationships has been found to influence social, emotional, and physical health.

People in intimate relationships...

• Are better at successful navigating various developmental stages
• Are more likely to maintain solid, lasting friendships
• Are less likely to be in car accidents
• Are more resistant to diseases and mental illness

On the other hand, individuals involved in committed relationships that lack intimacy and closeness are more vulnerable to a whole handful of ailments: stress, depression, psychosomatic disorders, and mental illness in general. (To read more about this research, see: "Marriage and Romantic Relationships: Defining Intimacy in Romantic Relationships," by Barry F. Moss and Andrew I. Schwebel, in Family Relations, vol. 42, no. 1, January 1993, pp. 31-37.)

If you're in a committed relationship, take the opportunity to work on intimacy with your partner today. Small gestures can go a long way toward creating a closer relationship. Not only will you be investing in the strength of your future relationship, you'll be protecting your future health and happiness.