Today's adults are eight times as likely to live together without marrying as their counterparts were in 1970. More than 19 million Americans are currently divorced. So it's worth examining some of the benefits of marrying and sticking together. Overall, divorced and single people have higher cancer rates than married people do. Divorced and single people are also much more likely to die from hypertensive heart disease.
Married folks have fewer mental illnesses, too, as hard as that is to believe.
Of course, we're talking averages here. There are many rich, healthy single and divorced people in the United States. And you definitely shouldn't get married because you think it will lift your income or reduce your cholesterol. But if you're in a marriage and your spiritual strength is flagging, maybe you'll be inspired by an appeal to your health and wealth. Or maybe the key is just to maintain your sense of humor.