Could going for a walk together be the secret to a happier marriage?

What if one of the simplest ways to improve your marriage wasn't couples counselling, a romantic holiday or an expensive date night, but something as ordinary as going for a walk together?

New research published in the journal Family Relations suggests that couples who exercise together may communicate better, resolve disagreements more peacefully and experience less conflict in their marriages.

The study looked at nearly 1,700 married couples that were part of a larger research project called the Couple Relationships and Transition Experiences (CREATE) study, which investigates relationships during the early years of marriage.

They examined two different types of physical activity: exercise that husbands and wives did individually, and exercise they participated in together.

They then compared those exercise habits against three measures of relationship health:

• Communication: How well couples talked, listened and understood one another.
• - Conflict resolution: How effectively couples worked through disagreements.
• - Marital conflict: The level of disagreement and tension reported in the relationship.

The researchers collected information from both husbands and wives rather than relying on just one person's perspective, they then used a statistical technique called dyadic regression, which allows researchers to analyse information from two people in the same relationship while accounting for the fact that their experiences are connected. 

They also compared individual and shared exercise within their statistical models to see which had the stronger association with relationship outcomes.

The results showed that 60 percent of husbands and wives reported exercising, but only about one-third exercised together.

When the researchers compared the responses, they found that people who exercised generally reported healthier relationships than those who didn't.

Shared exercise was associated with better communication, more constructive conflict resolution and lower levels of marital conflict.

This is particularly interesting because the most commonly reported shared exercise wasn't an intensive gym workout, running or cycling, it was walking.

The researchers suggest that walking together may offer something that exercising alone doesn't - uninterrupted opportunities to talk, listen and connect without the distractions of everyday life.

Couples who exercised together also reported feeling more heard and supported by their partners.

There may also be other factors at play. Couples who have more free time, fewer financial pressures or similar interests might find it easier to exercise together and also experience less relationship stress.

However, when you're walking side by side, there are fewer distractions competing for your attention and you're not necessarily looking at a television, checking emails or rushing through household chores. Instead, you have time to talk about your day, discuss problems or simply enjoy each other's company.

The study concluded that exercise may also improve mood and help regulate stress, potentially making difficult conversations easier and is a simple and free way to help improve your physical and marital health. 

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