Exercise is usually thought to be good for physical health, stress, and mental health. But, new evidence has also indicated that exercising with a partner might also promote a better relationship. Per a study by Brigham Young University researchers, married couples who worked out together scored higher on communication, conflict-resolution skills, and marital satisfaction, and lower on marital conflict compared to non-exercising couples.
Published in the journal Family Relations, the study looked at data from 1,693 young married couples in the United States who were part of the nationally representative Couple Relationships and Transition Experiences study. Researchers contrasted separately engaged in regular exercise and exercising with a spouse and then looked at the two forms of exercise with communication, conflict resolution and marital conflict.
Second, the results revealed that individual or shared exercise related to better relationship outcomes, but shared exercise had more consistent association with better marital outcomes than individual exercise. The researchers found this finding was comparable for couples both husbands and wives.
Communication was also one of the topics most directly linked to exercise. As the authors, the simple act of exercising together seemed to help conversation, listening, and just them spending time together even in a simple activity like walking, this posed the opportunity for conversation, away from the distractions of everyday obligations.
In fact, it turns out the couples surveyed identified walking as the primary form of exercise. That is a crucial piece of information as it implies couples don’t have to spend countless dollars for a gym membership, buy workout equipment or subscribe to demanding workout regimens to receive similar relationship benefits from exercising together. Instead, couples can go out for a walk in the local neighborhood or park.
The pairs who worked out together also reported healthier communication and more conversations where they felt heard and supported by their partner. Such daily exchanges may shed light on why shared exercise was related to healthier communication and improved conflict management.
What could be the reasons for this link? Exercising releases endorphins and hormones that boost happiness and lower stress levels so people might find it easier to talk in a relaxed way. Exercising together could also mean couples establish a particular routine and seize a peaceful time each day for talking to one another.
This was a cross-sectional study so authors could only show associations and not that engaging in physical activity together necessarily causes the marriage to be better. It is also possible that couples with better relationships tend to engage more in activities together. Further research will be necessary to determine the direction and strength of the relationship.
Overall yet the results are very much in line with previous research indicating that for people who are in romantic relationships, exercising with a partner can offer the opportunity to improve their reactions to both the workout itself as well as their day-to-day relationship satisfaction. In addition, some previous work has indicated that some benefits can be enjoyed from exercising with a partner, such as a boost in positive emotions on days when this activity occurs.
