7 Reasons to be Married or Single

SEVEN HEALTHY REASONS TO BE MARRIED

• It's not a myth - marriage is a medicine. A healthier lifestyle and personal wellbeing means you're more likely to live longer. Married men have a longer life expectancy than single men and both of you can save on your medical bills. Single people spend twice as much time undergoing treatment in hospital.
• It's an accepted fact that after time, love-making can become routine. But you probably have a far more fulfilling and better sex life than most of your single friends!
  
• Bad day in the office darling? Being in a loving relationship makes it easier to cope with the strains of working life. People who are in long-term relationships are more laid-back and less stressed.
  
• You probably spend less time at the pub. Being respectful to your significant other means you're more likely to cut back on the booze and smoke less. Single men are more than three times as likely to die of cirrhosis of the liver than married men.
  
• Contentment has its rewards - thanks to elevated feelings of overall happiness, happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singletons or couples in unhappy relationships.
  
• When did you last suffer from a cold? Married people tend to have stronger immune systems and are less likely to catch colds and develop other illnesses like headaches and back pain.
  
• Married men and women have lower suicide rates. A meaningful social network of friends and relatives gives people a sense of personal value and a feeling of responsibility to others.

• What better social interaction is there than flirting? Being single gives you the complete freedom to flirt with whoever you want, whenever you want.
  
• A constant companion at dinner is a dead cert for piling on the pounds. Singletons stay slimmer, especially women. Let's face it, you have more motivation and can't afford to 'let yourself go' in case Mr or Miss Right suddenly turn up.
  
• You have more time for yourself. No one's stopping you from going for a cycle ride in the park on a Sunday morning, spending a weekend at a yoga retreat or pumping iron in the gym as often as you want.
  
• Relationships are synonymous with compromise. Eventually you will have to sacrifice something you really like - facials and body treatments or footie nights with the boys. Enjoy being single and treating yourself. Selfishness can sometimes be good for the soul.
  
• You can get a good night's sleep - and go to bed when you like. Who wants to be woken up by heavy snoring or constant trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night?
  
• Being single means you can be spontaneous and adventurous. Life experiences like travelling alone or taking in a show will boost your confidence and give you greater self-esteem than some of your married friends.
  
• Tired, irritable and depressed? You can have PMT as bad as you want without having to explain anything.
  
• Enjoy the peacefulness of your own mind and relish the calm that comes from solitude, with no one nagging at you, criticising you or finding fault.