Forget being frustrated with your single status, because research shows that flying solo actually has way more benefits than you think.
Here are five advantages of being single that we can all start embracing.
1. More sleep
There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep. And sleep experts at Otty revealed that singles are more likely to experience better sleep.
Sleeping with a partner will often cause frequent nightly interruptions due to snoring, tossing, turning and trips to the bathroom. There’s also the dreaded blanket bandit, who in their sleep will battle for the blanket on a cold winter night.
Just one night of a disturbed sleep can affect your health and wellbeing, causing mood swings, attention span deficits and vastly slowed reaction speed. A consistent lack of sleep can lead to a hormonal imbalance of cortisol – the hormone linked to stress levels, which can lead to health problems such as insomnia.
Sleeping alone guarantees maximum comfort and interruption free sleep throughout the night, along with the fact we don’t have to take our partner’s sleep schedule into consideration at bedtime.
In fact, even some of those in relationships have opted for a ‘sleep divorce’, where couples permanently sleep in separate beds to better their individual quality of sleep.
2. Stronger relationships
Romantic love isn’t the only love. Contrary to what some might think, single people don’t spend their time depressed, alone, self pitying over being single.
In fact, a major theory as to why single people live longer is simply down to the fact that single people may have stronger friendships and a more active social life.
Strong platonic relationships are key in increasing self confidence, self worth, stress relief and generally boosting happiness. If you’ve ever had a friend that’s made you laugh until you cry, lifted you up when you’re down and been there to share your most intimate secrets with, then you know how powerful a good friendship can be.
3. Self-love
We sometimes rely on our partners for happiness, confidence boosts, support and love. But, newsflash: these are all the things we can give ourselves.
If your happiness and self-confidence rely on someone else’s actions, you’ll become dependent on them. This can lead to a negative cycle of co-dependence and insecurities should our partners not be able to 100% fulfil our needs.
Being single provides you with the opportunity to tap into your own needs and expectations. When you start to embrace being single, you’re more likely to set higher standards for yourself, and there’ll be no need to compromise.
Besides, developing your self-love and personal skills will help you prepare for healthier relationships should you decide to pursue romance in the future.
4. More wealth
Shock horror: Dating doesn’t come cheap. Staying single is the ultimate opportunity to whip your finances into shape as well as your health.
Being single cuts out the pricey gifts around Christmas, Valentines, birthdays and anniversaries. You can avoid any baggage that may come from a partner such as a student loan, debts and other monthly payments that become a linked responsibility. You’ll also spend less on your weekly shop.
Happy, healthy AND wealthy. What better reason to stay firmly unattached?
5. Higher life expectancy
Research has shown that singles tend to be healthier overall than those in relationships. A study by The Institute of Education Sciences found that single men were less likely to suffer from heart disease than any other marital status.
As well as having more time to focus on exercise, eating healthy and socialising, being single can give us the chance to become more self-sufficient, leaving us less likely to experience extreme turmoil when things go wrong.
It’s no coincidence that Japan, the country with the world’s highest life expectancy, has its civilians pursuing the single life, embracing a “super solo society” characterised by young people who will never get married. Experts predict that this new culture will be the future for all countries, not just Japan.
