If nothing else, being single is a learning experience — one that happens to be good for your mental health, believe it or not. So stop stressing over those seemingly endless (and cliché) “I SAID YES!” posts everyone shares on Instagram, and start appreciating the benefits of single life.
This might come as a shock, but research has shown that 54% of people who stay single for a long time end up with health issues that later affect their love life. The most common health issues associated with extended single good include suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders.
The emphasis on having peace of mind and avoiding tension, fights, and getting hurt suggests that being single helps people avoid experiencing negative emotions. Finally, the “freedom to flirt around” factor suggests that singlehood is also appreciated because it allows people to engage in casual relationships.
Research varies regarding whether being single makes you a happier person. Your relationship status does not define you or your happiness, and you can thrive as a single person! While many believe that people are generally happier when in romantic relationships, there is little evidence of that.
Forget everything you think you know about being single—starting with the assumption that it means ready to mingle. More people than ever before are living solo: Nearly 40% of adults in the U.S. are unpartnered, up from 29% in 1990, according to the Pew Research Center.
Hu found that reported happiness was higher overall among married people than unmarried people. By gender, 56.2 percent of married men said they were “very happy,” compared with only 39.4 percent of unmarried men who said so.
Being Single For A Long Time is Not Baggage.
Plus, there are many reasons why a person is single that have nothing to do with their value as a person: life circumstances, time focusing on building their career, time taking care of loved ones, and so on.
Women are happier being single than men are, because being in a relationship is harder work for women, new research suggests.
Without relationships, we tend to feel lonely and isolated. It is hard to get used to doing things alone after being in a relationship. So how does one overcome loneliness while being single? There are plenty of single people out there that have no intention of dating, simply because they love being single.
Since intimate relationships are associated with better mental health, some people assume singles are dissatisfied with singlehood or life. New research suggests single individuals are, in general, satisfied with both singlehood and life.
Generally, research shows that single people have a much stronger network of supportive relationships than those with partners because they're better able to stay connected with family, friends, and coworkers, for example.
“Being single, you'll learn to value your freedom, make decisions for yourself, and become more accountable for your choices, actions, and goals,” says Russell Thackeray, Ph. D., a clinical psychologist in the UK.
There are still many good reasons to get into a relationship, but it's become easier than ever before for people to stay independent. People who prefer being single have more time to commit to their personal pursuits and the independence to explore interests that they might not have time for in a relationship.
"There is absolutely no set time frame that counts as 'too long' for being single," says Megan Stubbs, EdD, a sexologist and relationship expert based in Michigan. Part of the reason why is because there's no set definition as what "being single" actually looks like.
Out of the nearly 51,000 depression screenings taken by single individuals in the past twelve months, about half (48%) scored highly consistent for symptoms of depression. Compare this with 31% of those who selected “married or in a domestic partnership”, and 38% for those who selected “widowed”.
You may have been single a long time for various reasons. Maybe you struggled with unresolved feelings after a difficult break-up, suffered from damaged self-esteem, or maybe you're simply too busy with work, friendships, and everything else that takes up time.
Although frustrating, it's perfectly natural to be unhappy about being single. This is especially true if you feel lonely, hopeless about love, or isolated because all of your friends are in relationships.
According to studies, the more self-sufficient single people are, the less likely they are to experience negative emotions. But for married people, being self-sufficient is associated with more negative emotions — almost like they resent having to fend for themselves.
Some age groups have a higher share of singles than others. Adults under 30 are the most likely age group to be single, with roughly half (47%) falling into this category. In contrast, 30- to 49-year-olds are the least likely to be single (21%).
Research reveals the benefits of single living.
Women tend to have stronger social networks outside of their romantic relationships. Single women may be more selective than single men when choosing a partner, as they may enjoy the freedom provided by their lifestyle.
The youngest and oldest Americans are the most likely to be single – 41% of those ages 18 to 29 and 36% of those 65 and older say they are single, compared with 23% of those 30 to 49 and 28% of those 50 to 64. These age differences bely huge differences by gender.
Adults who are single may feel sadness, grief, regret, and ambivalence about unviable potential mates. In addition, unviable potential partners may become idealized with time and take the place of the anticipated spouse, setting a standard that new and viable potential partners can't meet.
You will have moments where you get to enjoy other people's company but reality will start kicking in when you have to go back home alone. This long term loneliness can trigger other problems like overeating, alcoholism, over exercising and other harmful habits to temporarily fill the void.
It is most certainly okay to be single at any time in your life, including your 40s! If you're single in your 40s, know that you're not alone. Research indicates that, in the United States, 23% of adults aged 30-49 are single, 28% of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 are single, while 36% of those 65+ are single.