Birds of a feather flock together or rather, Who we are together, we become?

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Birds of a feather flock together or rather, Who we are together, we become?

Are we naturally drawn to people who are similar to us, or do we inevitably end up resembling the person we live with?

This question has recently been addressed by Shannon Mejia, a researcher at the University of Michigan in the United States. After extensive research, she found that couples who live together not only develop similar speech patterns and character traits over time but also experience similar health outcomes!

Striking health similarities

Indeed, during her study, the scientist observed striking similarities in kidney function, cholesterol levels, and grip strength between the two individuals in a couple. These findings were recently presented at the annual congress of the Gerontological Society of America.

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According to the results of the latest survey, based on the observation of 1,568 American couples who have been aging together for over 20 years and more than 50 years, it seems that both partners in a couple are not only emotionally connected but also physically linked.

Aging is something couples do together

Shannon Mejia suggests that people who age together undergo biological changes that make them more alike over time. "Aging is something couples do together; you live and appreciate the same environment and make decisions together," explains Shannon Mejia. In summary, it has now been scientifically proven that couples rub off on each other and end up resembling each other not only in terms of their character but also in terms of their health.

Beware of monotony

All of this is fascinating but not entirely reassuring. Living together for 40 years is wonderful, but it's important not to slide too far into monotony! As you become more alike and share the same tastes and desires, you might no longer be able to provide that refreshing spark that once won over your lifelong partner. Our advice: make an effort to engage in separate activities and maintain different circles of friends, so you have interesting things to share by the fireside in the evenings!

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