The Top 10 Marriage Findings Of 2012

The New Year is a time for reflecting on the most important lessons learned over the course of the previous year. 2012, like every year, had its share of ups and downs and plenty of big lessons - both good and bad - came along with them.

Marriage proved to be a popular topic of discussion in 2012. Scientists around the world were determined to unlock its many mysteries in a series of studies that examined everything from video games to drinking. Here are some of their most important findings, according to HuffPo:

1. Online gaming can hurt your marriage. Couples report lower marital satisfaction when one spouse's gaming interferes with bedtime routines, says a Brigham Young University study. 75% of gamers' partners wish their spouse would put more effort into their relationship and less into beating their high score. When both spouses are gamers, however, they report higher satisfaction in their relationship.
2. The "Honeymoon Phase" is a myth. Couples are actually happiest after their first year of marriage. A "wedding hangover" may explain why newlyweds are not as happy as couples who have been married longer.
3. Getting angry can help your relationship. Getting angry (but only short-term!) signals that certain behavior from a partner causes distress, giving the couple an opportunity to address the issue.
4. Marriage offers few benefits over living together. A study found that the health benefits of marriage decrease over time, while couples who are unmarried and cohabitate experience greater happiness and self-esteem in the long run.
5. The later you have sex, the better your relationships. A team at the University of Texas at Austin found that postponing sex until a later age corresponds to less dissatisfaction with relationships in adulthood. They also found a link between waiting and higher education and household income levels.
6. Interracial marriage rates and acceptance are on the rise. Acceptance of interracial marriage is spreading rapidly, and more interracial couples are marrying than ever before.
7. Married people are healthier and live longer than singles. Studies have shown that married couples experience lower levels of cancer, heart disease, depression, and stress. In contrast to #4, these benefits appear to be greater in couples who are married than in couples who cohabitate.
8. Young people expect marriages to last. Divorce rates may be high, but a survey found that 86% of single and married people aged 18-29 expect their marriages to last a lifetime.
9. Married women drink more than single women. Unlike married men, who tend to drink less than they did when they were single.
10. Sons-in-law are the key to successful marriages. A 26-year longitudinal study found that, when a husband reports having a close relationship with his wife's parents, the couple's risk of divorce decreases by 20%.