Valentine's Day: Five reasons why being single could be better for your health

As another Valentine's Day rolls around, the sight of cheap, fluffy pink and red tat on the high street is enough to make any self-respecting single person puke.

Sure, love is great, but where's the day dedicated to those who can spread their legs out like a starfish across their bed without hitting another person in the face? Or for people who have absolutely no obligations to another person on the planet, and waste zero energy on wondering how your texts are being interpreted?

But, according to the studies below, the joke's on those sickening loved-up couples, because while being in a partnership does have its perks, the single life can also boost a person's well-being.

You are more likely to exercise

People in relationships are less likely to hit the recommended target of 150 minutes of physical activity a week than those who are single, according to a 2011 survey by the Department of Health.

At the time, only 27 per cent of adults hit these guidelines. Of those who failed, over three quarters of men and 63% of women were married. That was compared with only a quarter of single or divorced men and 33% women, The Telegraph reported.

You are less likely to be obese

Men and women who went from being single and or dating to in a relationship were over two times more likely to be obese, according to researcher carried out for the US National Institutes of Health. The 2010 study published in the journal Obesity also showed that married or cohabiting partners were less healthy than couples who were still dating, in terms of their levels of exercise, their weight, and how long they spent watching TV and gaming.

A separate 2013 study published in the journal Health Psychology showed that "spouses in satisfying relationships relax their efforts to maintain their weight because they are no longer motivated to attract a mate".

You sleep better

Anyone who has had to wrestle the covers from their partner at 3am will know that sharing a bed can disturb a good night's sleep.

"People with obstructive sleep apnoea can make a great deal of noise and are very restless, which can disturb their partner," Dr Steven Scharf director of the University of Maryland Sleep Disorders Center, told the Sydney Morning Herald. Dr Scharf added that in these cases, partners can end up sleeping in separate rooms.

And a survey by Amerisleep found that single people slept better than even people who reported they were in happy relationships.

You are happier

Research suggests that being married can impact a woman's happiness. A 2016 meta analysis of thousands of studies by psychologist Bella DePaulo, who has written extensively about relationships, showed that single people have a better relationship with their parents, siblings and friends and appear to be happier overall.

She told Today.com: "There are people who thrive on solitude and get important benefits from it like spirituality, creativity and rejuvenation. They're not single because they have 'baggage' or 'issues'."

You drink less

A 2016 study published in the Journal of Women's health followed over 79,000 women aged between 50 and 79 in the US. It showed that divorcees and singles were less likely to drink than their married counterparts.