New Study Finds, "You Complete Me."
New study finds the important health benefit of love.
Goethe the 18th century poet was on to something when he said, “We are shaped and fashioned by those we love.” A new study supports his thought and found that having a happy partner you love has a significant impact on your health.
"I am looking for a dare to be great situation."
Highlights of the findings and complementary love quotes from romantic movies follow. Do your best to guess which movies, characters and actors the quotes came from. Hint – the answers are available at the end of this article.
The study, “Happy You Healthy Me?” conducted by William J. Chopik PHD, Michigan State University department of Psychology and Ed O’Brien PHD, University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, discovered the impact romantic partners have on our well being.
“As you wish.”
It’s been said that Love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own. It turns out that the unselfish act of selfless love holds a power much greater than once understood.
“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return.”
The happier someone is the better their self-health. But more importantly the study found that your partner’s happiness has a significant impact on your self-health and healthy behavior.
"The best thing you can you do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are."
Happier people rate themselves as healthier with less physical impairment, and lower rates of chronic disease across gender, age and educational achievement level. They also rate their partner’s health higher.
“You make me want to be a better man.”
Happier participants in the study were also more physically active than unhappy participants.
“I don’t know if we have a destiny, or if we’re all just floating around accidental – like on a breeze, but I think maybe it’s both.”
The happiness of a person’s partner has a significant and independent impact on personal view of self-health and healthy behavior.
“Swoon. I’ll catch you.”
Having a happier partner predicted healthier outcomes beyond the contributions of an individual’s personal happiness including self-rated health, physical impairment, and all forms of exercise.
"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more; that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds."
People who have a happy partner were significantly more likely to report better health, experience less physical impairment, and exercise more frequently than participants with unhappy partners, even after accounting for the impact of their own happiness and other life circumstances.
“I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.”
The study found over time, having a happy partner could afford surprisingly long-lasting effects on a person’s own health.
“People call those imperfections, but no, that’s the good stuff.”
Findings suggests partner happiness predicts better self-health regardless of a person’s own initial happiness and the effects of happiness on an individual’s health increase over time when their partner is happy.
“People love what other people are passionate about.”
Healthy behaviors were significantly correlated within couples with significant similarity in couples’ starting values of health and health behavior.
“You want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.”
The study found that as couples became happier, they increased their levels of exercise together over time.
"I'm in love with you."
To find out more about the study, Happy You, Healthy Me? Having a Happy Partner Is Independently Associated With Better Health in Oneself you can find a copy here Happy You Healthy Me?
Movie Love Quote Challenge Answers
“You complete me.” Jerry (Tom Cruise) Jerry Maguire
“I am looking for a dare to be great situation.” Lloyd (John Cusack) Say Anything
“As you wish.” Westley (Cary Elwes) in The Princess Bride.
“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return.” Christian (Ewan McGregor) in Moulin Rouge
"The best thing you can you do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are." Juno (Ellen Page) Juno
“You make me want to be a better man.” Melvin (Jack Nicholson) in As Good As It Gets
“I don’t know if we have a destiny, or if we’re all just floating around accidental – like on a breeze, but I think maybe it’s both.” Forest (Tom Hanks) in Forest Gump
“Swoon. I’ll catch you.” Alma’sy (Ralph Fiennes) in The English Patient
"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more; that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds." Noah (Ryan Gosling) The Notebook
“I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.” Arwen, (Liv Tyler) in The Lord Of The Rings
“People call those imperfections, but no, that’s the good stuff.” Sean Maquire (Robin Williams) Good Will Hunting
“People love what other people are passionate about.” Mia (Emma Stone) La La Land
“You want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.” George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) in It’s A Wonderful Life
“I’m in love with you.” Gil (Owen Wilson) Midnight in Paris