Being married has a lifelong effect on how content people are. This is according to a study in Springer’s Journal of Happiness Studies that investigated people’s levels of well-being based on their marital status. Using data from two UK surveys, its authors, Shawn Grover and John Helliwell of the Vancouver School of Economics in Canada, showed that an even greater sense of well-being was reported by people who think of their spouse as their best friend.