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Senior couples might want to scrutinize their collective drinking patterns.

While a majority of studies center on how individual drinking influences health, a University of Michigan investigation indicates that a partner’s drinking behaviors are important too. It emphasizes that it’s not solely the volume of alcohol consumed but how couples partake—similarly or otherwise—that can impact health outcomes over the long term.

The study, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, reveals that while older different-sex couples who both engage in light to moderate alcohol consumption may initially report superior self-assessed health, they might experience more pronounced health declines as time progresses. Light drinking is characterized as approximately 1 drink per day, and moderate drinking is defined as about 2 drinks daily.

“This study illustrates that health is influenced by both an individual’s and their partner’s drinking,” stated lead author Angela Turkelson from the U-M Institute for Social Research. “We discovered that couples who both consumed moderately—close to two drinks per day—gave themselves high health ratings initially. However, as time went on, their health deteriorated to levels akin to those in couples with dissimilar drinking behaviors or those who seldom drank.”

The research showed that women in couples with differing drinking habits—where one partner, usually the husband, drinks more than the other—reported a higher incidence of chronic health complications compared to women in couples who both engaged in light or moderate drinking. Specifically, wives who drank lightly alongside husbands who also drank lightly experienced superior health compared to those whose husbands consumed heavily. Notably, this trend was not observed among men.

Husbands in mismatched couples did not express a higher number of chronic health issues as opposed to those in couples with aligned light or moderate drinking habits.

Over a span of 24 years, researchers monitored nearly 10,000 couples aged 50 and above who were either married or cohabiting. They discovered that these couples often establish persistent drinking habits, which can have varying effects on their health.

“Partners can greatly impact each other’s habits and health over time, particularly as they age together, and shared routines may influence both individuals’ well-being,” explained co-author Kira Birditt, a research professor at the U-M Institute for Social Research’s Survey Research Center.

The study’s implications are profound, indicating that healthcare providers should offer couples age-appropriate guidance tailored to their circumstances. Understanding whether couples share similar or differing drinking habits can enable professionals to deliver more effective support for both their relationships and their long-term health.

“Policymakers need to consider the nuances of how couples consume alcohol together—and how these behaviors influence health outcomes differently,” stated Turkelson. “Future recommendations should promote ongoing evaluation of both individual and collective drinking habits, alongside their evolving effects on health over time.”

The researchers plan to investigate how elements such as socioeconomic status and relationship quality influence the drinking patterns of couples. They also intend to examine whether drinking together or separately—whether at home or in social environments—affects health and relationship outcomes. Their findings may shed light on why specific patterns pose greater risks than others.

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