It’s true: A happy wife = a happy life

Since I recently got married (today actually marks one-month since our wedding!), I’ve received a lot of advice about what it takes to sustain a happy, healthy marriage that stands the test of time.

Some of the best advice I’ve been told so far:
‘ “Don’t go to bed angry.”
‘ “Have regular date nights.”
‘ “Make your expectations known. Don’t expect him to read your mind.”
And, a personal favourite, from my 92-year-old Poppa who recently celebrated 70 years of marriage with my Nanny: “Make sure you pick a good one.”

My new father-in-law also likes to remind my husband that “a happy wife = a happy life,” and according to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family, there’s some truth to that saying. The study found that the more content the wife is with the long-term union, the happier the husband is with his life no matter how he feels about their nuptials.

“I think it comes down to the fact that when a wife is satisfied with the marriage she tends to do a lot more for her husband, which has a positive effect on his life,” says co-author Deborah Carr, a professor at the University of Michigan.

Related:
• The secret to a successful marriage
• Is marriage the secret to a longer life?
• 5 hot date night ideas