Confidence in a partner turned out to be the key to sound sleep and mental health

Experts from the University of Illinois decided to find out which aspects of living together have the greatest impact on personal well-being. They analyzed data from participants in the couples support program, which included communication lessons, conflict resolution, and strengthening emotional bonds. It turned out that psychological comfort in a couple acts as a powerful health remedy, the effect of which persists for many months.

The experts focused on three factors: mutual support, dialogue skills, and confidence in the strength of the union. Although all of them are important, it is the last point that has become crucial for health. Confidence refers to the firm belief that a couple will be able to overcome any adversity in life and build a long future together. This feeling of security gives a person inner peace, which is physiologically manifested in an improvement in the mental state.

Interestingly, such a belief in the reliability of a partner turned out to be closely related to biological rhythms. People who do not doubt their union sleep better and better. Moreover, they significantly reduce the need for alcohol or other psychoactive substances as a way to cope with stress.

The revealed patterns were confirmed for all participants in the experiment, regardless of their age, income level, or education. The only difference was between officially married couples: their level of trust in the future grew the fastest. Probably, the very fact of marriage creates an additional foundation for a sense of stability, which is enhanced by conscious work on the relationship.

The authors recommend that couples more often recall their common achievements and difficulties that have already been left behind. The memory of the trials passed together strengthens the belief that the following challenges will be overcome. Such self-suggestion and awareness of oneself as a part of a single team becomes a free and very effective way to improve one’s individual health.

The project once again confirms the old truth: peace of mind in the house is not just the absence of quarrels, but the key to a long and healthy life for each family member.