Why being in love is good for you

Boxes of chocolates, lavish meals out and those late night fights; there certainly is an unhealthy side to love, but finding that special someone can bring all kinds of benefits too. So, if you’ve been considering ditching your partner, or are just feeling a little harassed by love, check out some of these relationship perks:

Love lowers risk of alcohol abuse

 You may be footing a bigger weekly wine bill for all of those cosy nights in, but research has shown that you are less likely to abuse or depend upon alcohol if you are in a relationship. In the study, only four per cent of people who had been in a relationship for between two and four years misused alcohol; whilst only three per cent of those who had been in a relationship for more than five years reported abusing alcohol. However, 12 per cent of the participants who were not in a relationship in their 30’s were described as misusing alcohol and 13.5 per cent of people who had not been in a relationship for more than two years treated alcohol in an unhealthy way.

Bad mood? Blame mild dehydration, study suggests

A new, small study of 25 women suggests that being mildly dehydrated can take a toll on women's mood and cognitive function.
In the study, published in the latest issue of The Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that dehydration was a prime factor in causing headaches, loss of focus, fatigue, and low mood while both exercising and resting.
US magazine TIME reported last week that the women in the study experienced the bad effects from only mild dehydration -- about one percent lower than optimal hydration levels.
The Huffington Post also cites a 2009 study conducted by Tufts University researchers in the US that found "that dehydration leads to fatigue, confusion, and a negative mood among young female athletes."