Gaby
A team of researchers from the University of Zurich (Switzerland) has somewhat shocked the public with the results of their latest study. It turns out that the best way to cement the initial relationship between partners isn’t through a shared walk, jog, or trip to the theater. Instead, feeling mutual closeness and comfort during the early stages of a relationship is best facilitated by activities that are anything but healthy. Specifically, lounging on the couch, smoking, drinking alcohol, and indulging in fatty foods.
However, the researchers cautioned anyone considering trying these quick bonding methods: such a lifestyle can harm the health of a harmonious couple.
What the Scientists Discovered
In their study, the Swiss researchers based their findings on the understanding that comfort in relationships indicates their strength and stability. The team aimed to find out which shared activities contribute to this feeling.
The scientists analyzed data from three previous diary studies that focused on unhealthy behaviors among couples.
In the first study, smoking partners reported how many cigarettes they smoked together each day over the course of a month.
The second study examined the behavior of inactive couples. For a month, partners wore accelerometers to track the time they spent together in a sedentary lifestyle.
The third study had lovebirds photograph their daily diet—also over a month. They recorded how often they consumed alcohol and unhealthy foods, particularly those high in fat, sugar, or salt.
Participants in all three studies rated their feelings of closeness and relationship satisfaction daily, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Data analysis revealed that volunteer couples reported high relationship satisfaction and closeness the very next day after engaging in unhealthy behaviors.
The researchers noted that smoking or consuming unhealthy products is often used to relieve stress and overcome discomfort. This is why couples tend to choose such behaviors.
The scientists detailed their findings in a report published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. As the researchers summarized, partners who “engaged in unhealthy activities together felt closer to each other the next day than those who opted for a walk or a jog.”
At the same time, the team warned that these methods of fostering feelings of closeness and unity could negatively impact the health of the lovebirds in the long run.
