Divorces are now the order of the day and marriages seem to be on the decline. According to Eurostat (the European statistics office), there are fewer and fewer marriages in Spain, as they have fallen by as much as 56% in the last 50 years .

These figures have aroused the interest of many psychologists or sociologists. Research claims to have found the ideal age for marriage, and in this article we echo this information

Modern society and the commodification of relationships

Relationships between people and the links that are established between them evolve over the years, especially in relationships. When things go well, relationships are strengthened and the feeling of love grows , and a greater degree of rapport, fidelity and intimacy is produced. However, this is not always the case.

Many relationships or marriages fall by the wayside, and more so today. In a society like ours, which tends towards individuality, in marriage crises selfishness and individualism often predominate. Couples are breaking up more and more as society evolves towards the commodification of love relationships. The bonds are increasingly superficial.

Two divorces per marriage

The causes of crises are varied. Some couples break up because one of the parties does not feel loved , there has been an infidelity, one of the two has unrealistic expectations about the marriage or because of simple monotony. Whatever the cause, the reality is there, and the facts do not lie.

As an article in the newspaper ABC states: “for every marriage there are two divorces in Spain”. A fact that has attracted a lot of attention and that shows the reality of Spanish society.

Crisis and Divorce

Crises aren’t bad in themselves. Sometimes, conflicts within a relationship can strengthen the bonds of a couple, making them feel more united. This is because these conflicts, if properly managed, can serve as a learning experience. Thinking that relationships do not go through bad times is not real.

The causes of this situation have many origins, but, if just a few decades ago it was not so common to hear the word divorce, the alternative for many couples when a marriage crisis arrives, is to stop living with their lover and slam the door on the relationship.

  • If you want to understand this phenomenon better, you can read our article: “Marriage Crises: 5 Keys to Understanding Them”

The best age to get married

So what’s the solution to this problem? A team of researchers seems to have found a link between age and divorce rates. This research states that the ideal age for marriage is between 28 and 32. The research was conducted by Nick Wolfinger, a sociologist at the University of Utah, and published by the Institute for Family Studies.

According to the findings of this study, couples who marry in this age group divorce less than those who do so at other ages. The study author, for his research, conducted an analysis with U.S. statistics, with data grouped in two stages , from 2006-2010 and 2011-2013, and then compared the former with the latter. The results showed that there were fewer divorces between the ages of 28 and 32, but that divorces increased for each year that moved further away from the latter figure. In other words, at 42 there is a greater chance of divorce than at 35.

Some conclusions of the study

If these data are confirmed, what are the causes? The author of the study states that it is very likely that 28 to 32 is the ideal age “because at that age, individuals have already reached a certain degree of maturity”.

Many people at that time in their lives are already financially solvent and do not have the same desire to experiment as younger people may have. They have a more or less clear idea of what they want in life. Moreover, unlike older people, they still have the possibility to change their habits and adapt to the lifestyle and common objectives that living with a partner requires.

Mature love, one of the keys

Therefore, maturity is one of the keys to the best age for marriage being between 28 and 32. Because, throughout our lives, we can fall in love more than once.

But first crushes can be more irrational, and the madness caused by the intensity of these loves can take hold of us. Over the years, we see relationships differently, coming to understand that relationships are a constant negotiation in which both partners have their needs .

This kind of mature experience ends up being much more satisfying and, many times, it is possible thanks to a love from the past, which made us see things differently. In a more realistic and mature way.

First loves may be unforgettable , but that does not mean that those first feelings of passion and attraction are enough to keep the flame of love alive forever. To love is also learned and to be in a couple as well. For a relationship to work, you also have to learn how to make it work.

  • If you want to know more about this kind of love, you can read our article: “Mature love: why is second love better than first?”