Can’t live (that long) without her
My younger brother is getting married next summer, and I’m happy for him. In addition to him being happy, and me getting a cool new sister-in-law, this move might even be good for the longevity of the newlyweds’ brains.
Married men tend to live several years longer than single men. A happy husband has an expected lifespan that’s around 10 years greater than his unwed brother. Women also benefit from wedlock, but not quite as much: they only get about 4 bonus
years.
One explanation for this effect is that single men (and women?) are more likely to engage in risky behavior that could cause a premature death. It’s also possible that a good marriage provides emotional support and a sense of purpose that is powerful enough to extend a lifetime. Another conceivable factor is that the people who are most physically and psychologically “fit” for survival might also be the most desirable mates and therefore the most likely to get married, though this speculation is a lot more controversial.
And your spouse can make you smarter.
Even if longevity’s not your aim, finding the right spouse could make you smarter. The married couple Warner Schaie and Sherry Willis, who have each done a great deal of important work in the areas of aging and cognition, say the following in their publication Mind Alert:
“In our study, we followed a number of married couples over a long period of time. It turns out that married couples’ intellectual performance converges over time: The spouse with lower cognitive functioning early in the marriage moves in the direction of the higher-functioning spouse, cognitively speaking. So the bottom line is that you should marry someone who’s smarter than you are.”
Who knew that a spouse could be good for your mental health!
Nov 26, 2007
Consider this explanation: Men die of heart disease at a higher rate than women. Therefore, more men than women will have heart attacks; with no one around (single males) one has a higher probability of dying due to lack of immediate treatment. Having someone around (married males) increases the probability of survival… therefore with the disproportionate rates of heart disease, men get, on average, more years than women. Another factor might be that men who are married are more likely persuaded by their wives to go to the doctor, which might also add to the disproportionate benefit.
Nov 26, 2007
That sounds reasonable, and it does explain the data nicely. Additional support: it seems that unmarried men and women are likely to have a worse diet and exercise regimen, leading to more heart disease. With only one person around it may feel less worthwhile to cook a healthy meal, and a tough spouse could exert pressure to get out and workout.
Dec 08, 2007
I am eager to experience the benefits of brain exercises, and the opportunity to learn more about Brain Training Features, with its series, and following guided brain training regimens to get a complete and balanced workout. I loook forward to charge of my brain training access to an entire library of targeted brain exercises.
Thank you,
Jaye O’Neil