10 Crazy (And Scientific!) Ways Relationships Help Married Men Live Longer Than Single Men

For all the complaints they make, men get a lot from relationships.

Men often have a delightful (not really) way of making it sound like women are the reason why they are headed towards an early grave. It’s why you often hear of men call their wives the “ball and chain,” and why so many men joke about having women who drain their bank accounts.

Truth be told, most men make relationships sound like the worst thing ever. But the funny thing is, statistics show that the secret for how to live longer is actually linked to relationships, as they are highly beneficial to men. In fact, men tend to live shorter lives if they are not with a partner.

Women, on the other hand, do not have a major change in lifespan when they have a marriage. Don’t believe it? Here are some perks men tend to gloss over.

1. Men benefit from having an emotional connection from relationships.

This is because they often end up having most of their emotional support come from their spouses. Most men do not have the support network women do, and as a result, rely on their significant other for emotional support. No relationship means that a man often won’t get the support they need to feel happy.

2. Having regular sex can help men look 7 to 10 years younger... and feel that way, too!

Regular sex is a great health booster for both men and women. People in relationships tend to have more sex than singles, especially if the person in question is male. One of the most notable benefits of having sex on a regular basis is a more youthful glow thanks to healthier circulation.

3. There’s also something to be said about having home cooking.

Men who are married or in long-term relationships also reap the benefit of home cooking more frequently than singletons do.

Having home cooked meals means you end up with less preservatives than canned food, and also a drastic reduction in calories from foods you’d pick up at a restaurant. As a result, men who are taken tend to have slimmer waistlines and are less prone to obesity.

4. Men who are in happy relationships are likely to be depressed.

Quality is key, here. Men who are in unhappy relationships tend to be more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. On the other hand, men who are with good partners often are more optimistic, cheerful, and energetic.

5. The lifespan difference alone says a lot about how good relationships are for men.

Men who are married can expect to live 5 to 7 years longer than men who remain single their entire lives. A study done by Harvard students showed that the longer a man stays married, the better his lifespan will be compared to single men his own age.

 

6. Marriage and relationships are also a good antidote to loneliness.

It’s no secret that loneliness can kill. Loneliness is linked to stress-related illnesses, higher blood pressure, shorter lifespans, mental illness, and weight gain. Unsurprisingly, married men tend to feel far less lonely than typical single men do.

7. People who are married are also more likely to survive cancer and get diagnosed earlier on.

Single people are less likely to survive cancer, less likely to get checked for the disease, and are also less likely to bother seeking advanced treatment than those who are in relationships. This is true for both men and women, with men having the difference even more stark than women do.

This is often because their partners are the ones who encourage them to see the doctor and because their spouses are more likely to support them as they fight the disease.

8. Men who are in relationships retain cognitive function better than single men.

The same study also showed that guys who remain single are more prone to dementia, Alzheimer’s, and similar cognitive loss. It’s not totally certain why this happens.

9. Smokers who try to quit while in a relationship with a nonsmoker are more likely to succeed.

Positive reinforcement is a thing, and studies back it up. Men who are single have a harder time quitting, possibly because they aren’t getting the encouragement and motivation they would be getting from a loving partner.

10. Lastly, men who remain in relationships are far less likely to engage in unlawful and unhealthy behavior.

Having a heathy, happy relationship gives men a lot of reason to avoid behavior that could jeopardize their wellbeing. After all, guys don’t want to wreck all the work they put into a relationship. As a result, studies have shown that men are less likely to do lifespan-shortening behavior that could land them in jail when they are in a relationship.

All things considered, men get a great deal out of relationships. Maybe that’s why surveys say they’re getting increasingly worried about staying single?

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