12 Habits That Will Improve Your Marriage, According to Science

12 Habits That Will Improve Your Marriage, According to Science Maintaining a healthy marriage is easier said than done. Thats why the divorce rate in the United States is 3.2 per 1,000 population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tzu siches a wealth of research into what makes happy and healthy marriages, however. And weve rounded up some of the best tips, according to science. Here are 13 habits that will improve your marriage.1. Openly communicate.Healthy marriages involve couples who communicate openly with one another. A whole host of research suggests that couples who communicate with one another in mature ways are happier together.2. Spend time together on home projects.According to a survey of 910 people in relationships or married and living together by Porch, a network for homeowners and home professionals, remodeling a home scores highly on tasks couples enjoy doing together. Over half of those surveyed said they took on a new project like remod eling their bathrooms and bedrooms, and just under half did the same with their kitchens. Doing so helped improved their relationships54% of men and 50% of women said their relationships improved.3. Get enough sleep together.Research continues to show that sleep deprivation impairs cognitive function. And, when that happens, its harder to be yourself. Thats why couples who get enough sleep together tend to be less irritable and can have better, mora focused and intentional discussions with one another science says so Meanwhile, studies suggest that couples who report poorer sleep are much more likely to argue with each other.4. Hang out with mutual friends.Couples in happy marriages spend time with their mutual friends. Co-authors of the book Two Plus Two Couples and Their Couple Friendships, Geoffrey Greif and Kathleen Holtz Deal, suggest that married couples who seek out friendships with other couples benefit from the emotional support and excitement they get from the group dynam ic. Not sure how to make friends with other married couples? We tell you all about it here5. Try new things together.Couples who try new things together learn more about one another, teach and challenge each other and, ultimately, live a happier and healthier life together. Even if theyre busy with work and other obligations, they make the time to explore together. Not sure how to make the time? We tell you all about that, too.6. Spend time together unplugged.Marriage takes workand that work requires your undivided attention a lot of the time. While we live in a world in which too many of us walk around with our noses stuck in our smartphones, happy married couples make it a point to spend time together unplugged. That means that they put the phones and iPads and laptops down. They dont switch on the television. Rather, they sit together and have real conversations. After all, research says that too much tech can be detrimental for relationships. And other research suggests that qua lity time is more important than tech time.7. Share meals together.Couples in happy marriages make an effort to spend time togetheroften, that time is best spent sharing a meal together. Whether they cook together, go out to eat at a restaurant or order takeout, sharing a meal is one surefire way to spend some quality time together.8. Be intimate.Theres endless research out there about the importance of intimacy in relationships. In fact, there are tons of benefits of having more sexual intimacy in your relationship. According to a 2015 study, more sex and better quality sex actually increases happiness (because our bodies secrete cortisol, adrenaline and oxytocin during sexual intimacy). And its not just sexcuddling after sex is also important9. Hash out their issues before bed.Couples that can work out any issues before they go to sleep, so they never go to bed angry with one another, tend to be happy.10. Wake up early.A whole gamut of studies suggests that the early bird really d oes get the worm. And when both birds rise and shine, theyre naturally better love birds.11. Exercise together.Exercising has a whole bunch of both physical and mental health benefits. Exercising, for one, releases dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins that are responsible for our happiness. So, naturally, exercising with ones partner means that you are doing something happy together.12. Keep the house clean.Keeping the house clear of clutter can have positive effects on mental health. Reearch suggests that a space thats clear of clutter can actually boost productivity, which means that youll have even more, less-stressful time to spend together in a comfortable space.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a feminist, a freelance journalist and an adventure aficionado with an affinity for impulsive solo travel. She spends her days writing about womens empowerment from around the world. You can follow her work on her blog, HerReport.org, and follow her journeys on Instagram her_report,Twitterh erreport and Facebook.