The research is in: marriage improves the health of both sexes, but especially for men. Married men have greater longevity, overall physical health, and general happiness levels than their single counterparts. Oh yeah- they have more sex, too.
1. Married Men Live Longer Than Single Men
Getting married can add several years to your life, especially for men. According to The 
American Journal of Epidemiology, almost 100 research studies have indicated that married men have an average of 8 to 17 years of more lifespan than their single counterparts. In addition, other data indicates that married women have greater longevity than their single, divorced, or widowed cohorts.
Not only is the longevity of married men better, but their quality of life seems to be significant better than that of single men as well. According to a European study across several countries, married men smoke less, exercise more frequently, and consumer significantly less beer, wine and liquor than their single counterparts.
2. Marriage Improves your Physical and Mental Health
Married men are much more likely to be in good health and survive a difficult medical diagnosis, ranging from whether they survive a heart attack to their chances of beating cancer. If a man is happily married, he is 3 times more likely to still be alive after undergoing a coronary artery bypass 15 years after the surgery than a single man. Reviewing the 13 most common cancers, including lung, skin, prostate, and colon, married men were less likely to die of their disease that any other grouping, even married women.
On the other hand, single men fared by far the worst; they are 35% more likely to die of cancer than a married person- male or female. Married men are also the healthiest psychologically; they are the least likely population grouping to suffer from anxiety, depression, or PTSD.
3. Married Men Have More Sex
Despite popular belief about the subject, bachelors do not have better sex lives than their married cohorts; in fact, the opposite is true. In a comprehensive study of sexual behaviors across the globe, researchers found that married individuals have more sex than any other group. In fact, the evidence suggests that those that are happily married also have the best sexual encounters out of any other grouping.
4. Married Men Are More Responsible
A recent study of 300 pairs of male twins at Michigan State University found that among those in which one brother married and the other remained single, the married twin engaged is less antisocial behavior than the single sibling. These scientists believe that marriage reduces aggression and other criminal activity by as much as 30 percent.
For many, many reasons, marriages are worth saving. Jennifer De Francisco, MPA MSW, LCSW is a couples counselor in Newport Beach who is an expert at maintaining marriages and relationships in the Irvine and Orange County areas.
Please call (949) 251-8797 for an appointment.
