When it comes to a happy relationship, women are off the hook in one surprising way: Apparently your man's health and disposition matter more than yours. That's the finding of one study, anyway. Researchers found that men's good health and upbeat personality lead to relationship bliss. But women's health and temperament don't matter nearly as much. Does that mean we get to stop pretending we're much nicer than we really are?
I'm joking, of course. Obviously we are all super kind and wonderful all of the time. That's why we're in these relationships in the first place. Um, right?
Now the background info on this study: Researchers surveyed 953 long-term, older couples. They asked each individual how they felt about their relationship. Women in a LTR with a healthy, upbeat guy reported fewer conflicts. But the men? The health or personality of their lady friend didn't have the same effect on the quality of their relationships.
You could spend time speculating why this is. (Something about women always being the caretaker in a relationship, yada yada yada ...) Or you could just enjoy the benefits. Because you know what this says to me? Go on and be your bad self, ladies! I don't mean this is permission for us to go forth and be bitches. But it kind of sounds like guys can handle a few things we may have been trying to hide from them:
Period-related moodiness Jeans-don't-fit-anymore despair Primary care-giver headaches Bra-related backaches Caught-it-from-the-kids colds Bad hair day malaise Post-vacation ennui You're going to forget our anniversary pessimism Pizza-belly bashfulness Irritable bowel syndrome Irritable woman syndrome Tight ponytail strain Bachelor-induced anger Mother-in-law phone call recovery period Absolutely nothing to wear panic attackYou can't prevent every illness. But these personality quirks? Yeah, you could probably work on them. But maybe you don't have to.
Are you surprised that men's health and personality matter more to a relationship than your own?
Image via Oliver Rossi/Corbis