Your Partner's Happiness Matters To Your Health As You Age, Research Shows

When you consider all the ways to reduce stress, things like exercise, sleep, or yoga might come to mind. But according to new research published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology1, having a happy partner might just be a factor you've yet to consider.

For this study, researchers looked at data from over 300 adults that were anywhere from 56 to 87 years old. These adults had all participated in three different studies between 2012 and 2018, with data on their emotional states, relationship satisfaction, and cortisol levels (one of our stress hormones).

Upon analyzing the data, the team discovered that people's bodies produced less cortisol when their partners reported relatively higher positive emotions. Interestingly enough, the reduction in cortisol was higher when someone's partner was happy than when someone reported their own positive emotions.

Further, the effect was stronger in older people and people who reported being happier in their relationship.

It's no secret that it's important to manage stress as we get older. Chronically elevated cortisol can have a myriad of health consequences, and as we age, our bodies have to work harder to bring cortisol production back down after a stressful event.

That said, the study's lead author, Tomiko Yoneda, Ph.D., explains that having positive emotions with your partner can act like a social resource. "Positive emotions can buffer the production of cortisol," she explains, adding, "This is especially relevant when we think about how our relationship partners might actually bolster that effect."

Yoneda adds that with enough positive emotions, you are better adapted to handle life, creating a sort of "feedback loop" that perpetuates more positive emotions and experiences. Then this study comes in and says you can share those benefits with your partner.