Okay, so you're single on the most romantic day of the year. That sucks, right? No cards or flowers, no big romantic gestures. There are NO benefits to being single on February 14th....
I mean, except for the fact that you don't have to spend any money tonight, you don't have to share your pizza, and you can watch whatever you want on Netflix without anyone complaining.
But if that's not enough, there are actual SCIENTIFICALLY-PROVEN reasons why you're better off being single this Valentine's Day.
REASON #1: You have more friends
This one is pretty much common sense. People in relationships hang out with each other. You hang out with other single people on a more consistent basis and tend to build stronger bonds than married people have with their friends. A 2008 study shows that people with more than 10 close friends are significantly happier.
REASON #2: Single people stay in shape
Some people may say this is married people "letting themselves go", and maybe that's part of it, but as a married dad I can attest that it's much more difficult to stay on a strict diet and exercise regimen now than it was when I was single and childless. A 2004 study shows that single people exercise way more than married people, and the average married person weighs at least 5 pounds more than the average single person.
REASON #3: Single people are more productive
This one is a little more of a stretch, but several studies have found that since single people have more alone time, the lack of distractions from a spouse and family allow them to stay more focused on their careers.
So while you're sitting at home stuffing your face with a pint of Ben & Jerry's tonight feeling like this:
Just remember that you're prettier, more productive, and more popular than all your friends in relationships.
Happy Valentine's Day/Singles Appreciation Day!