A new study suggests that being married might help people feel healthier and happier compared to being single.

Researchers from the University of Michigan and Singapore Management University studied nearly 5,000 adults in the U.S. and Japan to understand how marriage affects well-being.

They found that single people in both countries had lower life satisfaction and poorer physical health than those who were married.

In particular, married Americans reported the most family support, which helped improve their happiness and overall well-being.

The researchers looked at data from national surveys of adults in mid to later life and included both married and never-married participants. The U.S. sample had 3,505 married and 308 single adults, while the Japanese sample included 710 married and 164 single adults.

One key finding was that single Americans felt more stress related to family than married people did, and this stress was linked to lower happiness. However, while single Japanese participants also reported family-related stress, it didn't seem to affect their happiness in the same way.

This suggests that culture plays a big role in how marriage and family support affect well-being. In the U.S., family support was strongly linked to better mental and physical health, but the effect was weaker and less consistent in Japan.

Study co-author Robin Edelstein, a professor of psychology, said that while single adults might spend more time with their families, they may not always feel emotionally supported. In fact, they may be more likely to face criticism or feel pressure -- especially around things like dating or life goals.

Single Americans, for example, often feel isolated and unsupported when it comes to emotional needs. They also face more pressure to marry, which can strain relationships with their families and lead to more stress.

In Japan, single people did experience family stress, but it didn't have the same negative impact on their health or happiness. Lead author Lester Sim believes this may be because Japanese singles are better at handling this pressure. They may distance themselves from family expectations or find emotional support elsewhere.

The study suggests that in Japan, people may be more used to the idea that marriage is expected. Because of this, they may not take family pressure as personally, and they work harder to maintain family peace even if they are unhappy.

Edelstein warned that over time, family stress could build up and eventually affect a person's health and life satisfaction. This may lead to feelings of regret or loneliness later in life, especially for single people.

One limitation of the study is that it didn't include people who live with partners but are not married. Edelstein said these individuals might experience some benefits of partnership, such as companionship and support, but they may not get the same social recognition as married couples -- especially in cultures where marriage is still highly valued.

The study was published in the journal Personal Relationships.

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