The best advice a seasoned lifer can give you, when it comes to marriage, is to learn the art of conflict avoidance. Apparently the key to a long-lasting marriage - note, not necessarily happy - is to keep quiet when you're being nagged about wet towels on the floor or who emptied the dishwasher last.
The advice is contrary to what we're normally told to do in relationships - which is to be honest and have a clear line of communication - but psychologists have said that for older couples, it's the best way to keep the peace after years of nagging and bickering.
Scientists monitored the progress of 127 married couples over 13 years and filmed 15 minute discussions between them, noting how they communicated. Lead author Dr Sarah Holley, from San Francisco State University said: "It may be that both age and marital duration play a role in increased avoidance.”
Even if you're at the start of a relationship or a marriage, long-lasting marriages are nothing to be sniffed at. In 2011, an annual study revealed that 'falling out of love' had overtaken extra-marital affairs as reasons for divorce.
