High on love

You may have heard many of these lines — A couple who works out together, stays together. A couple who does the chores together, stays together. A couple who eats together, stays together. And now there’s another activity to add to that list. For according to a new study, a couple who drinks together, stays together. Yes, sharing a drink or two with your partner could actually be good for your relationship? A new study revealed this and more. However, every study and its findings has to be taken in the right context and with a pinch of salt. That’s why we got experts to break it down for us.

About the study

Conducted at the University of Michigan and published in The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences, the study reveals that couples who drink the same amount and couples who don’t drink at all are happier than those where one spouse drinks while the other abstains. The researchers interviewed around 2,767 couples who had been married 33 years on average. Couples answered questions on their drinking habits and the state of their marriages over the course of 10 years, from 2006 to 2016. Dr Kira Birditt, the lead researcher, revealed, “The study shows that it’s not about how much they’re drinking, it’s about whether they drink at all.”

‘Mild drinking together is helpful for most urban couples’

Psychiatrist Dr Hemant Mittal, agrees with the findings, and says, “Mild drinking promotes reduction of stress, let’s you enjoy the moment and promotes a feeling of togetherness. It’s really helpful for mostly urban couples. It also helps them open up and talk more openly. However, one has to be mindful that they don’t over do it as it can induce addiction in some cases and can give addicts an excuse to drink.”

‘Drinking in moderation is good’

Seema Hingorrany, clinical psychologist/author, adds, “When couples drink together, they generally de-stress, talking about how their day unravelled. However, it’s important that they are careful not to go overboard with their drinking habits. It should be limited to one or two pints, maybe once a week.”

Pros and cons of drinking together

The healthy part  of drinking together is such couples usually can stop each other from drinking too much according to Seema.  She adds, “We have seen that such couples even if not drinking are relaxed in each other’s company and share a meaningful bond. Many men come and tell me that they don’t look out for friends as an excuse to drink as they find that their wives can be a good partner to share a drink or two with. The problem then of drinking too much with friends doesn’t arise. One should enjoy drinking but should not make it a habit, and the only activity to indulge in. One should make it a point to bond over other fun activities like trekking, swimming and reading together, and be careful that drinking does not become the only way to handle a stressful/problematic situation.”