Generosity is key to a happy marriage

Forget sex. Simple gestures of generosity could be the answer to a happy and fulfilling marriage, says a new study.

Beach couple (LL)
Beach couple (LL)
(Image credit: REX)

Forget sex. Simple gestures of generosity could be the answer to a happy and fulfilling marriage, says a new study.

Generosity could be the biggest key to achieving a happy and fullfilling marriage, a new study has found.

Couples who reported high levels of generosity within their marriage were five times more likely to be in a 'very happy' relationship.

“It's signalling to your spouse that you know them, and are trying to do things for them that are consistent with your understanding of them” says study researcher Bradford Wilcox, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Virginia.

“What happens outside of the bedroom seems to matter a great deal in predicting how happy husbands and wives are with what happens in the bedroom.”

A fulfilling sex life was found to be the single biggest indicator to a married couples happiness, however research showed that high levels of generosity was a major aspect of this.

The survey, which examined 1,400 couples with children, highlighted that 50 per cent of women and 46 per cent of men with high levels of generosity in their marriage reported to be ‘very happy.’

Experts have said that simple gestures such as making coffee or giving flowers can help to show one another care.

Sexual satisfaction, a sense of commitment, generosity and a positive attitude towards their children ranked as the top elements to a fullfilling and happy marriage.

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