Regardless of what romantic comedies and your nosy grandmother might tell you, being single isn’t the end of the world.

无论浪漫喜剧和你爱管闲事的奶奶会告诉你什么，单身不是世界末日。

In fact, there are plenty of real benefits to flying solo.

事实上，独自翱翔有很多真正的好处。

Whether you’re single by choice or just in between beaus, here are 11 science-backed reminders that being single can actually be pretty great.

无论你选择单身还是处于空窗期，这里有11个科学支持的理由提醒你，单身其实可以很棒。

SINGLE PEOPLE EXERCISE MORE…

1. 单身人士锻炼得更多

If you’re single, there’s a good chance you’re hitting the gym more often than your married peers: A 2011 study found that men and women who have never been married exercised more than people in any other marital category (including currently married men and women, as well as divorcees and widowers).

如果你单身，与已婚的同龄人相比，很有可能你在健身房里挥汗如雨的时间更多。2011年的一项研究发现，与那些和婚姻有过羁绊的人(包括已婚、离异和丧偶人士)相比，从未结过婚的男士和女士锻炼的更多。

…AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHIER WEIGHT.

2. 单身人士的体重更健康

You’re also more likely to maintain a healthy weight.

你的体重也更可能健康。

Multiple studies have found that men and women tend to pack on the pounds after they get married.

已有多个研究发现，男士和女士在婚后倾向于发福。

One study found that married men are more likely to be overweight than their single peers, while another found that women who lost weight in preparation for their weddings had a tendency to gain weight in the six months following the ceremony.

一项研究发现，已婚男士比单身汉更有可能超重，而另外一项研究则发现，为了婚礼减肥的女士可能在婚礼过后六个月内长胖。

THEY SLEEP BETTER.

3. 单身人士睡得更香

It should come as little surprise that sharing a bed with another human being can affect how much sleep you get.

与另外一个人同床共枕会影响睡眠这一点不太令人惊讶。

After all, having someone tossing and turning, snoring, and talking in their sleep beside you can affect even the deepest sleepers.

毕竟，枕边有个人在辗转反侧，打呼，说梦话，即便平时睡得最香的人也会被影响。

Being single cuts down on nighttime disruptions and can help you get a more peaceful night’s sleep.

单身的话就不必担心这些夜间的打扰，可以让你睡得更安然。

THEY DO LESS HOUSEWORK.

4. 单身人士家务少

If you hate doing chores, single life might be right for you.

如果你讨厌做家务事，那么单身生活也许更适合你。

A 2008 study found that single men and women spend fewer hours a week doing basic housework than their married counterparts.

2008年的一项研究发现，与已婚人士相比，单身男士和女士每周花在基本家务上的时间更少。

THEY’RE CLOSER TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

5. 单身人士与朋友和家人更亲近

Single people are the glue that keeps families together.

单身人士是家人的黏合剂。

According to one study, single siblings are more likely to keep in touch with, and reach out to, their siblings than those who are married.

一项研究发现，与已婚人士相比，兄弟姐妹中单身人士更有可能与彼此保持联系以及社交。

Another study found that single people also spend more time with friends than those in long-term relationships.

另一项研究则发现，与那些处于长期关系中的人相比，单身人士会花更多时间与朋友交往。

THEY HAVE LESS DEBT.

6. 单身人士债务少

Being single doesn’t just benefit your waistline and social life: It also benefits your wallet.

单身不仅对你的腰围和社交生活有利，它还对你的钱包有好处。

Researchers have found that married people have more credit card debt than single people, and people who are married with children have the most debt of all.

研究人员发现，已婚人士信用卡债务比单身人士高，而有孩子的已婚人士信用卡债务最高。

THEY’RE LESS STRESSED.

7. 单身人士压力少

Staying single can help you prevent certain kinds of stress and depression.

保持单身能帮你避免一些压力和忧愁。

One 2014 study found that marital stress may make couples more prone to depression, while couples who experience severe, ongoing marital stress were less able to enjoy positive experiences.

2014年的一项研究发现，婚姻压力使夫妻双方更有可能抑郁，而经历严重、持续的婚姻压力的夫妻享受积极体验的可能性更小。

THEY’RE LESS LIKELY TO GET DIVORCED DOWN THE ROAD.

8. 单身人士未来离婚率低

Staying single now can benefit your romantic relationships in the future.

保持单身对你未来的恋爱关系有利。

In general, people who wait longer to get married have lower rates of divorce.

总体而言，等待更长时间才结婚的人离婚率更低。

THEY CAN AVOID CONFLICTS.

9. 单身人士能避开冲突

For people who truly hate conflicts, staying single can have real psychological benefits.

对于那些真心厌恶冲突的人而言，保持单身有益心理健康。

According to a 2015 study, people who are conflict-averse (those for whom relationship fights and arguments can cause severe stress) may experience less anxiety when they’re single.

2015年的一项研究表明，那些厌恶冲突的人（对这些人来说，恋爱时打架或争吵会带来严重的压力）单身时不会有那么多的焦虑。

THERE ARE SURPRISING HEALTH BENEFITS TO SINGLEDOM.

10. 单身有益身体健康

A wide range of studies have looked at the impact marriage and singledom can have on health.

许多研究都曾调查过婚姻和单身对健康的影响。

While being single isn’t necessarily healthier across the board, there are plenty of situations where being single seems to be beneficial.

虽然总体而言单身人士不比已婚人士更健康，但在不少情况下单身是有好处的。

Single men, for instance, were found to experience less heart disease, while single women are less likely to take sick days and visited the doctor less frequently than married women.

比如单身男士患心脏病的几率更小，而单身女士请病假去看医生的频率比已婚女士小。

Being single can even help your chances of keeping off weight after surgery: One study found that unmarried men and women were 2.7 times more likely to keep to diet and exercise goals after weight loss surgery.

单身能帮你增加术后保持体重的可能性：一项研究发现，在减肥手术后，未婚男士和女士坚持节食和锻炼的可能性是已婚男女的2.7倍。

ALONE TIME IS GOOD FOR YOU.

11. 单身时光更美好

Being alone doesn’t necessarily mean being lonely.

独自一人并不意味着孤独。

Spending time on your own gives you time to clear your mind, identify your own goals and priorities, and participate in activities that interest you.

花时间与自己独处能让你更了解自己的内心，明确自己的目标和优先事项，参加自己感兴趣的活动。

Research has even found that a bit of alone time can help us become more empathetic, foster creativity, and even improve our relationships.

研究人员们甚至还发现，一些独处时间能使我们变得更加有同理心、更富创造性，甚至还能提升我们的人际关系。