New studies show that while married men live longer, the marriage takes away more than one year women’s lifespan. Matrimony stretches husbands’ lifespan by 1.7 years, but shrinks an average wife’s lifespan by 1.4 years. This was demonstrated by the results of the study involving 100 000 people across Europe, Independent reports.
One of the key factors for married women’s shorter lifespan is that they are playing two parts simultaneously – the role of working woman and the role of housewife.
Another factor revealed by the research group headed by Stefan Felder from the University of Magdeburg in Germany is an inborn woman’s tendency to imitate the way their spouses behave. For example, nonsmoking woman married to a smoker often starts smoking herself or becomes a passive smoker. Researches believe that regular sex, against conventional wisdom, may shorten woman’s lifespan because of hormonal changes. On the other hand, these changes benefit men.
The findings are supported by the latest statistics showing British men’s lifespan (from 1981 to 2002) stretched by 5.1 years while British women added only 3.7 years.
