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Marriage or single life? 20 advantages and disadvantages

Marriage or single life? 20 advantages and disadvantages

March 22, 2024

Having a partner and forming a family: this is the goal and / or desire of a large number of people in the world. The idea of ​​marrying a stable partner is seen as normative at a social level, as if it were a universal aspiration shared by all human beings. In fact, the fact of to remain in single life has been a source of ridicule and derision for many centuries .

However, in today's society many people advocate staying single, proclaiming that it is not necessary to share your life with a partner to be happy and that it means great benefits and a freer life. And with that comes the controversial debate about what is better: Marriage or single life? Next we reflect on some aspects of this interesting question.


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A complex question

Resolving the question that gives name to this article is not simple. First of all we are talking about something very subjective, being able to obtain different answers depending on the person you are asking. This is because each one has very different values, beliefs and needs.

In second place we must take into account that being single or married It may not depend on the will of the person to : there are many people who are single, not because they want to, but because they can not find who they can stop being with, despite wanting it with all their might, or because despite having a partner they do not have the means to coexist with it. It is also possible to find in different cultures cases of marriages in which their spouses have been forced to become spouses, which is a serious loss for them.


Finally, as to whether it is better to be single or married, why should there be one option that is clearly better than the other? The truth is that both options have their advantages and disadvantages, so determining what is better depends largely on the objectives that each person has been raised as vital goals. Below we present the positive and negative aspects presented by each of the options.

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Arguments in favor of marriage

Below we present some of the ideas that the statistics reflect in the comparison between married and single. In the case of married people, we find that statistics show a series of advantages with respect to singles.

A longer life

One of the most widely known arguments in favor of marriage in the dispute between each other is better to be single or married is that On average married people tend to live longer (about three concretely) than single women.


This information has been confirmed in different investigations. However, we must bear in mind that this effect does not have to be a consequence of the marriage itself, may be due to many other reasons and it is even possible that it is not that people are healthier because they get married, but that those who are healthier tend to get married

Stability: have a regular support framework

Although family of origin and friends are a great social support, married people enjoy a point of support more than share much of their lives with them. As long as we are talking about a healthy and well-connected relationship, having a partner is a protective element of stress . Although in turn can be the source of it, according to the relationship maintained between its components.

In any case, marriage also serves to regularize time and allows to establish predictable routines that, while they may become monotonous over time, can serve as support in times of stress.

Better prognosis for heart diseases

Especially in the case of women, it has been detected that in married people there is greater chance of survival to heart problems, as well as to other types of serious diseases.

It is a source of brain stimulation

With age, human beings tend to reduce contact with other people outside their closest circle. In this context, the existence of a couple it supposes a cognitive stimulation which acts as a protective factor against diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Greater amount of total economic resources

Being two at home allows economically have a greater amount of capital , which in turn implies a greater possibility of obtaining desired goods or services such as rent or the purchase of a house.

Social rights and privileges

Although today's society is dynamic and fluid, it is still configured under the assumption that citizens will tend to get married. They exist then a series of social, cultural and even legal benefits and economic ones designed for married couples of what singles can not benefit or those who have more difficult access (aid, adoptions, etc.).

Marriage: elements against

However, the comparison with singles has also established the presence of a series of disadvantages of marriage .

It can be a source of stress

Although as we said the couple is a protective factor of stress, depending on the situation in which the couple is in fact can be a source of it. Conflicting relationships or problems prolonged in time they can aggravate the state of stress , tension and frustration of a person. Everything depends on the dynamics that occur in the relationship.

The social circle tends to narrow

Although this does not happen in all cases and nowadays this trend has diminished, there has traditionally been a certain predisposition that in married people the obligations and the time dedicated to the couple in the case of married people, it causes a progressive distancing from the usual social circle, restricting socialization to the closest circle and to friendships in common. On the other hand, the relationship with the latter tends to be something deeper.

They tend to make life more sedentary and less healthy

Statistically it has been proven that having a stable partner usually correlates with a decrease in the level of physical exercise performed and the interest in maintaining the figure (thus reducing healthy behavior), as well as in a tendency to give up.

Less personal autonomy

The fact of sharing your life with someone makes you have to take into account how one's actions can affect the other person. In this sense, one's desires and desires must be reflected in order to maintain a common project , which can cause some to be delayed or modified.

The advantages of a single life

On the other hand, the life of a single person also reflects a series of advantages with respect to people who have contracted marriage, some advantages that we present below.

Greater level of physical exercise and health

It has been shown that on average, single people tend to perform a much higher level of sport, which apart from maintaining physical shape protects their health. In fact, singles register a lower number of cardiovascular diseases , although its survival rate is lower. Likewise, it has been shown that, as a general rule, they tend to have more stable and regular sleep cycles, sleeping better than married couples.

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Greater level of autonomy

The single or single person has more free time and much more choice, as you do not have to stop and think about what another person wants like when you have a stable relationship. So the what, how, when and with whom to do something can be chosen more easily, without having to negotiate with anyone . This also implies that there is a greater option to pursue individual personal objectives.

Economic independence

It is possible that married people, having the financial support of the other, have a greater amount of capital. However, being in pairs involves the investment of much of it in common elements. The singles however are in this sense more independent, being able to distribute your money however you want without having to negotiate on what.

Live a more heterogeneous life

Married people usually live a more regular and stable life, with a greater number of fixed routines. However, single people they have more free time and can afford a greater amount of diverse experiences without having to plan them too early (beyond what other obligations require them). They can travel, play sports or dedicate themselves to their hobbies without having to give explanations to anyone.

Greater capacity for socialization

Although living as a couple does not eliminate socialization, single people are usually more open to establishing new relationships, getting to know more people and expanding their social circle. As well It is easier to maintain ties with friends and acquaintances , by not focusing their attention on the couple.

Facilitates the exercise of resilience

The fact of not having someone next to you to be able to rely on in case of need can be devastating. But nevertheless, forces the person to exercise resilience in a much more powerful way than before someone with such support.

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Disadvantages of being single

As with married people, being single is also a series of disadvantages that we have below.

Lower level of stability and support

As mentioned above, having a partner helps maintain a regular and relatively stable life, helping to focus efforts on specific points. Single people tend to have a higher level of freedom, but do not enjoy such a stable and relatively safe environment.

Having a stable partner and / or being married means having frequent contact with someone in whom, in principle, being able to support oneself in times of need. While family and friends can also be powerful support, single people do not enjoy this extra reinforcement .

Healthier, but at the same time more risky behavior

While they are more likely to play sports and generally care more, singles tend to perform more risky behaviors . The consumption of tobacco and drugs is more frequent, as well as the performance of high-risk sports or the practice of risky sexual relations.

Worst prognosis in the recovery of serious diseases

It has been shown that singleness, especially when it is involuntary, tends to be linked to a lower survival rate or recovery from serious disorders such as cardiovascular diseases.

Socially they are less taken into account

Society is structured around the concept of couple and family. Single people are going to find that a large part of the institutions offer different options and advantages that they can not access, or they find it more complex to do it.

Final score

The final conclusion of the question that gives rise to this article is that each of the options presents advantages and disadvantages both short and long term , depending on the answer of the question of each person, their personality, their values ​​and desires and the type of relationships that they have throughout their life.

Likewise, the data that we have reflected in the article are data extracted from different statistics, indicating only general trends. Not all married or single people live their marital status in the same way, so the elements cited are not true in all cases.

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