In the end, I believe it will all boil down to stress. As women in modern society more often take on the roles previously held by men in the workplace they add more stress. This can likely fully explain why womens lifespans have not risen as fast as men’s. Perhaps there also needs to be studies done on the different types of stress and how the sexes handle them. For example, I imagine birthing a child is very stressful to a woman -physically and emotionally, but perhaps their bodies and emotional makeup have better adapted them to handle this stress better than say the stress in the workplace? Careful, don’t read a supposed bias on my part into this where there is none. It was just a quick exaggerated example to make my point. I suspect if men had to try an birth a baby our hair would go gray overnight. lol

Likewise, stress from losing a spouse could also play a big role in longevity. Those who handle stress better (Is it women or men? Dunno.) may simple be those who get to live longer. Perhaps those who’s health is fading struggle all the harder to keep living so they won’t leave their spouse alone? Perhaps those who’ve lost their spouse lose some of their will to live.