It was a good thing George Washington couldn't tell a lie - researchers are finding that lying not only harms relationships, but also harms your health. In a 10-week study at the University of Notre Dame, psychologists employed 110 people -- 65 percent of whom were college students and 35 percent who were adults - to see if non-liars enjoyed better health and relationships during the study. Participants reported in each week and took a polygraph about whether they'd told lies during the week. Relationship and physical health were also measured each week, and half of the participants were instructed to stop telling both outright and white lies during the 10-week period. A control group was given no specific instructions about lying less.

Mental health complaints such as feeling sad or depressed and minor physical complaints such as sore throats and headaches happened far less in the group that avoided telling lies. The no-lie group also reported that overall, personal relationships and social interactions went much more smoothly during the 10-week period. Some participants learned to tell the full-on truth by simply listing their daily accomplishments instead of embellishing them, for example. Some learned to sidestep a question they would answer with a lie by asking another question. The consensus has been that little white lies, particularly those that cushion a hard truth, might be OK to tell to a spouse or partner. But this study seems to prove that when partners are on the up and up with each other, no matter the consequences, the relationship stays strong.