ZURICH, SWITZERLAND — A new study shows staying single may not be as good for your health compared to being in a committed romantic relationship.

A research team at the University of Zurich looked at 17,000 teens and young adults in Germany and the United Kingdom.

Their study shows those who remain single for a long period of time experience an increasing feeling of loneliness and a greater decline in life satisfaction.

Lead researcher Michael Krämer says findings indicate that remaining single for a prolonged period in young adulthood is associated with moderate risks to well-being.

“Our results demonstrate that both socio-demographic factors such as education and psychological characteristics such as current well-being help predict who will enter into a romantic relationship and who won’t. The findings, which indicate a link between a stronger educational focus and postponing committed relationships, also align with previous sociological research,” says Michael Krämer, who co-led the study, said in a media release from the university.