Things That Inevitably Happen When You’re In A Happy Relationship

Our idea of happy relationships come from our parents, movies, and other parts of society. But what is life truly like once you find the right person? Many things change from how people treat you to how you act yourself. To be more specific, these 13 things happen after you’re off the market and happy.

1. You gain weight. Unless you and your man are addicted to the gym, then prepare for your waistline to expand. According to one study, couples who report being happier are also the ones who gained more weight after exchanging vows. Researchers believe this is because people stop trying to attract others, so they aren’t as uptight about having the perfect appearance.
2. You eventually have a dry spell. A big myth about love is that sex should always be happening in a relationship for it to work. But it has been proven that sex naturally leaves and reappears over the years in a long-term relationship. Kids tend to throw things off for a while, and other life events get in the way, as well. But if you’re still in love, it will eventually come back.
3. Yes, you go to bed angry. Some people say that you shouldn’t do this, but they’re living in a fairy tale. When you’re in the middle of an argument, sometimes taking a break and getting some rest is all you need to get on the same page. You’ll both probably wake up in better moods and with a different perspective the next day, so don’t freak out about going to bed angry.
4. People start asking when you’ll get married. Our society still put marriages on a higher tier than other relationships, so once you’re in a happy relationship, people start asking if you’re going to get hitched. Don’t fall into the pressure if you don’t think you’re ready quite yet. Marriage happens for different people at different times, or not all. Either way is fine, as long as you’re happy.
5. Some single friends will fall to the wayside. You don’t mean for this to happen, but it does. The single friends you had around that you mostly saw at parties start disappearing because you don’t go out as much. You also just have less in common. You will, however, gain more coupled up friends and keep your real ones, so it all balances out.
6. Men start working harder. Not only are other people taking your relationship more seriously, but the boyfriends in serious relationships do too! Research shows men work harder and earn more than single men after putting a ring on it. This is probably because they’re more likely working towards buying a home and getting prepared to have a family. If he sees your relationship going down that path, then prepare to see him become more focused on work.
7. You get even more comfortable with each other. Sure, you can get too comfortable, but there’s just something about knowing that this relationship is it for you and the rest of your life that has you doing things in front of each other that you wouldn’t have done when you weren’t dating – like farting or peeing with the bathroom door open. This is a good thing and shows that you’re becoming best friends, so try not to let it freak you out.
8. The pressure to have kids is on. It can be a lot of pressure, but it happens. Family members start asking about little ones, especially if you’re in a certain age range and you’ve been together for a while. Whether you do want kids or you don’t is fine, but be prepared to field these questions.
9. Men get healthier and live longer. Researchers found that marriage helps men’s health, and once they divorce, their health tanks. The single life tends to shorten everyone’s years due to long work hours, unhealthy eating and other bad habits like smoking and drinking. The improvement is usually because the woman’s healthier lifestyle rubs off on them when a man is in a relationship.
10. There’s less pressure around sex. Chances are that once you’ve been together a long time, you both have been doing the deed for a while and you’re used to each other. You’re no longer nervous, you know what you both like, and the pressure is off. Some might assume this means things get boring, but that’s definitely not the case. It just means you’re not trying to figure things out anymore.
11. You think more about commitment. Being in a relationship is already a commitment, but with the kids and marriage questions, you’re bound to think more about your future together and what you want. The stakes are a bit higher, but if you’re happy, it’s not at all scary.
12. You start living vicariously through your single friends. Sure, you’re happy in your relationship, but single people get to experience things that couples can’t (or shouldn’t). When you meet up with your single friends, you ask about their nights out and their Tinder adventures. You’re probably even a little jealous… until you hear about all the jerks they meet.
13. You post less selfies and more couple photos. It’s only natural. Before, you took selfies to try and catch the eye of someone online. Now you’re less into getting that attention and more about showing off how happy you are in you’re relationship. You also want to remember every moment together.