4 Reasons to Keep Laughing Together

When it comes to the most-wanted qualities in a partner, a good sense of humor often falls somewhere near the top of the list. It makes sense. When you’re just getting to know someone, it’s an attractive quality. It helps you feel at ease and makes the person seem charming and fun. When you share a sense of humor, it gives you a sense of chemistry and connection.

Once you’re married, humor takes on a different role. Although you’re no longer trying to impress each other in hopes of another date, it provides even more important benefits to your relationship. Here are four reasons to keep laughing together.

1. Humor helps you fight less.

This might sound like a bit of a stretch, but hear us out. Chances are you’ve both got some habits that annoy each other. You might have personality quirks that drive each other nuts from time to time. You could express your annoyance through criticism and crabbiness. Or you could choose to see it through a humorous lens instead. Often the little things about our spouse that start to irk us over time are things that aren’t going to change. Learn to lovingly accept each other’s flaws and temper irritation with humor. It will help you avoid getting caught up in petty arguments that are simply not worth the fight.

2. Humor promotes playfulness.

Laughing together cultivates a sense of fun and friendship, which is so important in maintaining a vitalized relationship. As many researchers have found, having a true friendship with your spouse contributes to relationship longevity. Well, can you imagine a friendship in which you never share a laugh? Probably not. Prioritize having fun together, even when life gets hectic – or perhaps especially during those times. The great thing about humor is you don’t need to set aside lots of time or plan anything in advance to reap the benefits. Fun, playful moments can happen anytime, whether you’re cleaning up after dinner or sending each other funny memes throughout the day.

3. Humor helps you get through tough times.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry.” Maybe you’ve said it yourself when things seem to keep going wrong or you’re overwhelmed with what life is throwing at you. The truth is, humor can help you and your partner get through trying times. Finding the positive in a situation or even just the funny side of it, can help you maintain a more uplifting perspective instead of getting bogged down by the negative. Yes, there will be times when crying is completely justified, but sometimes you have a choice of whether – or how long – you want to sit in that space. Keeping your sense of humor can give you the emotional energy to bounce back and be more resilient as a couple.

4. Humor strengthens your bond.

There’s something about a good inside joke that makes you feel close and connected. You and your spouse probably have some – keep them going. Be on the look out for new ones. Having inside jokes is sort of like creating your own one-of-a-kind brand of humor. It’s unique to your relationship and perfectly captures your personalities and experiences. It can’t be replicated with anyone else. Not only that, but when you understand what makes each other laugh, you feel known and like you really “get” each other. This type of “we”-ness is crucial for maintaining a healthy level closeness in your relationship, especially during seasons of life when you have less free time to spend with each other.

When it comes down to it, there are a lot of relationship “skills” that can help you have a strong, happy marriage. We usually don’t think of laughing together as one of them. But the truth is, infusing your relationship with humor is associated with factors that contribute to an enduring, resilient relationship. When was the last time you and your spouse has a good laugh session?