Lori and I have been married for 13 years this September and we still hold hands with each other.   It is such a simple thing to do, but the effects of holding hands will strengthen your marriage.

A recent survey by YouGov revealed that 95 per cent of people who have been married over 50 years hold hands in public, suggesting it’s the secret to having a long-term relationship.  Holding hands in public tells others around, this is the one I love, and lets our spouse know, I love being with you.

Holding hands also reduces stress.  A University of Virginia study of 16 married women who scored high on a marriage-satisfaction inventory showed that simply holding their husband’s hand eased both physical signs of stress and their brains’ responses to pain.

Researchers took magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the women’s brains as they confronted the stress of a small electric shock in three instances: while being alone, holding a stranger’s hand, and holding their husband’s hand.

Simply holding a hand was enough to reduce physical symptoms of stress, researchers found, but only a husband’s hand produced signs of stress and pain relief in the brain.  There is something calming about holding your spouses hand.

Another study was done similar to this.  Researchers from the University of North Carolina told couples they would have to give speeches. Before they did so, 100 of the couples sat holding hands for a short time, then they embraced for 20 seconds. Another group of couples rested quietly and were separated from their partners. During their speeches, heart rates and blood pressure rose twice as high in the second group compared to the hand-holders.

This Valentine’s day you can begin living a healthier life and building a stronger marriage just by reaching out and holding the hand of the one you love.