Beyond the obvious reasons, like not having to provide a play-by-play of your life choices to a partner and not waking up shivering to find your bedmate has stolen the covers, being single can be good for the soul. Social scientists, such as Bella DePaulo, author and visiting professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara, point out we spend more of our adult lives single than in relationships. So why not embrace it and enjoy? Turns out, the older we get, the more we clue in to this attitude. Consider sensational lone women such as Diane Keaton, who’s never taken a trip down the aisle. There are rich, meaningful lives awaiting those who learn to say “I do” to being uncoupled. As DePaulo recommends, don’t squander your single-dom by considering it merely time between relationships or time waiting for Mr. Right. Point is, this is your chance to get to know yourself better, to reflect on your own goals and paths and to enrich the life you already have. So don’t get caught in the trap of waiting for your life to begin when it already has. Here are a few noted perks to the single life to get you started.
Maintenance of the body beautiful Research has documented the propensity for women to pack on the pounds after they get hitched. A 2002 study reports a significant increase within the first two years of marriage. One estimate pegged it at as much as 6–8 pounds.
A better night’s sleep Almost 25 percent of people reported that their partner’s sleep problems mess with the quality of their own sleep time. The top culprits for lack of shut-eye include snoring (34 percent), tossing and turning (15 percent), insomnia (14 percent) and hogging the mattress or the covers (14 percent).
Less housework According to a 1994 study published in the American Sociological Review, solo women did the least amount of housework when compared to those who were married or cohabiting.
|