is getting married one of the keys to a happy life? a 2006 report from the pew research center suggests so—43 percent of married women and men reported being “very happy,” while only 24 percent of unmarried men and women said the same.

　　interestingly enough, the happy halo that shines over married couples isn't the result of having kids—those with children were just as likely to be happy as those without.rather, there seems to be something about marriage itself that boosts both men's and women's feelings of well—being in life.

　　“recent research suggests that people become less depressed and less lonely after they get married,” says linda waite, a sociology professor at the university of chicago and author of the case for marriage.after all, it's harder to be lonely when you've got a loved one to come home to every night.according to waite, men benefit even more than women from having a life-long companion. “women will talk to everyone,” says waite, “but most men tend to rely on their wives as their main confidant.”in addition, women-typically the social planners in a relationship—ensure that the men stay connected to family and friends, another source of happiness.

　　and what about all that nagging that wives are so famous for? turns out it pays off. men who are married drink less, smoke less, eat better, get more sleep, and engage in less risky behavior than their unmarried peers. the end result: married men are healthier, and since health is linked to happiness, they're happier too.