Researchers from Aston Medical School in Birmingham looked at more than 900,000 patients with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes and found marriage led to higher survival rates.
Experts suspect this is because those who have the encouragement of a partner are more likely to take their medication, eat healthily and get enough exercise.
Jan Erswell, Director of Reality Counselling told Premier that while some people are happy not being married, it was better to be.
She explained during News Hour: "It is better to be married than cohabiting - it's better for your health - it's better for your relationship.
"I think the important thing in Churches as well is to not make people feel isolated if they're not married and actually help them through that."
The study, which is to be presented to the British Cardiovascular Society conference in Manchester, examined data obtained from hospitals in northern England between January 2000 and March 2013.
Dr Paul Carter and colleagues, who carried out the work, reached the conclusion after comparing patient's survival rates with their marital status.
Men and women in their 50s, 60s and 70s with high cholesterol were 16 per cent more likely to be alive at the end of the 14-year study if they were married rather than single.
This was also the case for diabetes and high blood pressure, with married people having a survival advantage.
Dr Carter said that the results suggest "marriage offers a protective effect" which is likely to be down to "having support in controlling the key risk factors for heart disease".
However, he emphasized: "The findings shouldn't be seen as a reason to get married, but rather as encouragement for people to build strong support networks with their families and friends."
Listen to Jan Erswell, Director of Reality Counselling speaking with Premier's Alex Williams:
