By Kim Glovas

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – So, does being in a loving relationship improve your life? If you have any doubts, decades of research say the answer is a resounding yes.

In the last 30-years, research has focused on why relationships are good for health. Patrick Markey, associate psychology professor at Villanova University, says being married or in a serious long term relationship change behaviors.

“Married individuals have higher levels of overall well-being, lower levels of depression, fewer neurological disorders, and they even live longer.”

Markey adds men actually benefit from being married more than women do, because women are generally healthier than men before marriage.

“Married men are more likely to eat healthy meals, they smoke less, married men drive not as fast as single men. Also, marriage provides social and emotional support.”

He says in general, the benefits from being married women come in the form of more financial security.