Generosity is key to a happy marriage- The Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2072540/Generosity-biggest-key-happy-marriage-sex-really-important-too.html Generosity could be the biggest key to a happy marriage (but sex is still really important, too) By Daily Mail Reporter Last updated at 5:55 PM on 10th December 2011 The flowers a man gives to his wife and the back rubs she doles out in return could be the key to a happy marriage. Couples with above-average generosity in their marriages reported that they were five times more likely to be 'very happy' in their relationship, according to a new study. A fulfilling sex life ranked as the single biggest indicator of whether married couples were happy, but high levels of generosity also contributed to good times in the bedroom. This means generosity could be a key to sexual satisfaction and general happiness. Couple in love Say it with flowers: Giving gifts and affection generously makes couples five times more likely to have a happy marriage, according to a new study Experts say the generosity can be as simple as couple making coffee, giving flowers or physical attention. But whatever one spouse is giving, the other has to actually want. '(It's) signaling to your spouse that you know them, and are trying to do things for them that are consistent with your understanding of them,' Bradford Wilcox, one of the study's researchers, told MSNBC. But if, for example, your spouse loves almond mochas, and you get her black coffee instead, it doesn't count so much toward generosity, Wilcox added. However, sex was still a more consistent indicator of of happy marriage. Men and women who reported a good sex lives were 10 to 13 times more likely to say they were 'very happy' in their marriages than those who reported mediocre sex. Generosity still seems a proven path to a happy marriage. Coffee cup Meeting needs: Generosity has to be sensitive for it to work. If your lover enjoys a fancy mocha and you buy black coffee, it doesn't count About 50 percent of women and 46 percent of men with high levels of generosity in their marriages reported being 'very happy.' By contrast, just 14 percent of couples who did not have high generosity were happy. The researchers compiled a list of five elements most likely to make a marriage happy: Sexual satisfaction was first, followed by a sense of commitment. Generosity and a positive attitude toward the couple's children were important, as well. Women also need social support from friends and family and men need spirituality within the marriage, the researchers found. The survey examined 1,400 straight couples with children between the ages of 18 and 46. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2072540/Generosity-biggest-key-happy-marriage-sex-really-important-too.html#ixzz1gJApJuV2