Psychology Being single for a long time makes you unhappy, according to study
Young people who remain single for a long time become more unhappy and lonely. This is the result of a study by the University of Zurich. The stress levels increase in the late twenties in particular.
14.01.2026, 09:41
SDA
"Young adults are increasingly forgoing committed romantic relationships," the researchers wrote in the study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
For the study, the research team led by Michael Krämer from the University of Zurich (UZH) analyzed data from over 17,000 people from Germany and the UK who had never been in a relationship at the start of the survey. The youngest were 16 years old. They were surveyed annually up to the age of 29.
The analysis showed that men and people with a higher level of education tend to remain single for longer. People who live alone or with their parents also remain single for longer on average. The same applies to people whose well-being is poor.
According to Krämer, these findings are consistent with sociological studies, as he explained in a UZH press release on the study. According to these studies, a stronger focus on education goes hand in hand with postponing stable partnerships in some people.
A vicious circle
Compared to people who later entered into a partnership, permanently single young adults showed a greater decrease in life satisfaction over time. At the same time, their feelings of loneliness increased. These burdens were particularly evident in the late twenties. In this phase of life, depression also increased among long-term singles.
According to the researchers, the results indicate "moderate risks" to well-being if young adults remain single for longer. The result appears to be particularly problematic for people with an already low level of well-being: Low wellbeing increases the likelihood of staying single for longer, which in turn can further affect wellbeing. This vicious circle could make it more difficult to find a first relationship in the late twenties, as Krämer explained
As soon as those affected entered into their first partnership, their well-being improved: They became more satisfied and felt less lonely. However, no such recovery effect was found for depression.
