8 Surprising, Scientifically Proven Things That Lead To A Lasting Marriage

Marriage... Is... Hard... Work! But it's the greatest gig ever. You reap many benefits from putting in the work. Now science is helping us keep the fire burning.

Want a marriage that will last? The following 8 things have been proven by science to keep your love locked down.

8 Surprising, Scientifically Proven Things That Lead To A Lasting Marriage

1. Have a cheaper wedding.

Couples with a wedding bill higher than $20,000 divorced at 3.5 times the rate of those with a $5,000-$10,000 wedding bill. Would've loved to have been at that $20K reception though, drinking all that free booze and dancing my butt off!

2. Meeting online.

Couples who met online have a much lower divorce rate. Guess you should stop being embarrassed to tell people that's how you met.

3. But not living on social media.

Amanda Scherker from Huffington Post shared this:

A 2014 study from Boston University and published in Computers in Human Behavior, you just might be. Researchers determined that the use of Facebook and other social networking sites is linked to increased marital dissatisfaction and increased divorce rates. They also found that, among heavy social media users, 32 percent had thought about leaving their significant others, compared to 16 percent of non-social media users.

 

4. Watching movies together.

Couples who watch movies together... stay together. The first time I told my wife I loved her was in a video store. We'd rented movies often and there was NEVER a disagreement on what to get... we loved the same kinds of movies.

5. Responding to your spouse's random, distracting comments.

The research on this one says, when your partner interrupts your reading to point out a dumb meme on the Internet, they're not just trying to amuse you -- they're asking for your positive attention. And if you're constantly responding, "Not now, I'm busy," you're hurting your relationship.

6. Using the word "we" during arguments.

Couples who use the words "we" and "us" during arguments, resolved them quicker AND with less stress

7. Putting you partner on a pedestal.

You married that person because they are fabulous... keep reminding them of that.

8. Doing things you BOTH enjoy.

Sharing activities your partner can't stand will actually decrease marital happiness. The experts found that it's less important that the two of you share the same activities than that you both are participating in hobbies that you actually enjoy, whether it's together or separately.

If you'd like to see more research behind this list, you'll find it here.