Researchers at Birmingham University have found a direct link between higher levels of antibodies to flu and being in a happy marriage. They looked at men and women given the flu vaccine and measured the antibody response over the next 12 months. The results are showing that those who had high marital satisfaction had the higher antibody responses to the flu strain after just four weeks. On the other hand, those who are recently bereaved or divorced may find it hard to fight the virus.

The Birmingham team examined levels of antibodies in the blood. The body produces these antibodies to combat disease. An increase in antibody levels indicates that the body’s immune system is better prepared to fight off infection. This immune response is thought to be a good indication of the body’s capacity to fight back against the virus itself.

The researchers studied more than 180 people aged over 65 from surgeries across Birmingham. Those who said they were happily married had much higher levels of antibodies in the blood than those who reported lower marital satisfaction. And those that had suffered a bereavement in the year prior to vaccination had a poorer response than those who had not suffered bereavement.

Dr John Moore-Gillon, president of the British Lung Foundation, said: “Many things can affect the immune system, and this research suggests that the state of someone’s mind may be one of them.

“The research certainly shows that we need to try and understand more about how the mind and the body interact in both health and disease.”

Having a good marriage can extend your life, reduce the risk of catching a cold, and lower blood pressure and heart disease. A University of Tampere, Finland, study shows that single men are 70 per cent more likely to have a premature end than married men.

So, let’s make our marriage work and get the most out of it