Many single people are very happy to be rolling solo. They may not be able to define why, but there are plenty of good reasons to enjoy not being in a romantic relationship. It’s not just that single people can do whatever they want. There’s a certain contentment and self-confidence that comes with the territory. In fact, here are some more scientifically-proven benefits of being single.
- You get more exercise. People who are single can choose how they spend their time. Perhaps that’s why they get more exercise. You can choose whether to spend money on a gym or get your exercise outdoors. If you want to splash out your cash on expensive equipment, that’s your choice. You can even train for a marathon if that’s how you want to spend your time! According to Psychology Today, single people get more exercise than anyone else.
- You have better overall health. When you live alone, you have more time to focus on your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. You can cook better quality food, exercise more, and spend more time outside. You can stick to whatever kind of diet you deem best suited for your lifestyle and you can simply eliminate temptations from your home. Work and personal life can be arranged around the exercise routine you choose. A study on women’s health and marital status found that “when the effect of the presence of a proximate adult was controlled…the illness behavior of the never-married decreased.” For women, this is good news!
- You’re better at keeping friends. One of the benefits of being single is that you have time to dedicate to your friendships, which helps them last longer When you don’t have spouses, partners, and children to consider, you can develop stronger friendships. You can be there when they need you, and you’re more likely to spend time with friends. A study on the pros and cons of marriage suggests that being married can take people away from social connections.
- You’re more self-aware. Singlehood gives you the time to think about your own needs and how you can meet them. You can consider how relationships add to your life and focus on the people that are making your life better. Education, careers, hobbies, and relationships are all aspects of your life that you can make choices about without consulting anyone else. As Russel Thackery, Ph. D. says, you learn to be accountable for your actions and choices.
- You’re more likely to know what you want from life. It’s difficult to figure out what you want from life when you are in a relationship because sometimes their goals and dreams get mixed up with yours. Sometimes we put our own goals on the back burner so that we can make our partner or spouse happy. As a single person, you can also put more time into deciding what you want. There’s no timeline unless you impose one on yourself. Clinical psychologist, Dr. Jenny Taitz, says that when you’re single, you have time to figure out your values and what really matters to you.
- You learn to enjoy your own company. It can be difficult to be single when you are first out of a relationship, but the longer you live solo, the better you get at enjoying your own company. You can enjoy being alone at your own home or even out in public. Single people are more likely to enjoy a meal by themselves or go out to an event on their own. They enjoy the company of others, but they don’t need it.
- You have greater control of your income and savings. As a single person, you can choose to change jobs for a better payday, get a second job to save more, or just live on less so that your expenses aren’t as high. There’s no one else to persuade you to buy that new car. Heck, you can even go without the car and walk or bike everywhere if you want. The bottom line is that when it comes to money, you’re the only one that has a say in the decision-making process. Michael Eckstein, Tax and Accounting Expert, reminds us that as a single person, “you never have to compromise.”
No matter how often Aunt Gracie asks you when you’re going to find a nice young man and settle down, you know that being single is good for you. The beauty of being single is that if you choose to partner with someone, you can do that, too. You don’t have to commit to staying single forever to reap the benefits.
