Marriage – not necessarily
the key to longer living

Some say that the key to a long and fruitful life is through happiness in marriage and children.

By Janice Lee Fang

Of course, there are always endless comparisons to be made between married people and singletons, be they about who has more fun, who’s having more (or less) sex, who parties or shops more, who lives life to the fullest.

It always boils down to one overarching question: Is it better to be single or married?

This explains this writer’s decision to start exploring the married status and its effect on life expectancy.

But you can probably guess how iffy this is – Put me in a room full of people to explore this with ‘live’ and you can guarantee chaos of massive proportions. There would most certainly be strong reactions from offended singletons who will not appreciate the smugness and self-importance associated with the married mentality (since I am married myself).

Interestingly enough, there are studies which findings indicate that married people’s lives tend to stretch far longer than those who choose a life of solitude.

Get married; live longer?

A study published in the American Journal of Sociology found that 88 per cent of married men live to the age of 65, while only 63 per cent of never-married men, 65 per cent of divorced men, and 69 per cent of widowed men live to that age. The benefit was not, however, as substantial for women in this study as it found that this was only the case for 92 per cent of married, 81 per cent of never-married, 82 per cent of divorced and 90 per cent of widowed women.

However, the reasons behind the difference in figures are not clear-cut. Some researchers have speculated that single men are more likely to engage in risky behaviour than women, and that women are more likely to have strong social networks that help prolong their lives. Some have also said that the reason that married people tend to live longer and healthier is because of the benefits that marriage brings, be it socially, psychologically or economically. I suppose sharing your financial woes with someone and not bearing them alone lessens the stress factor and ups your lifespan.

Naturally, this also depends on whether your marriage is good or bad. Being in a bad marriage can be detrimental to one’s health if it brings on an increase in blood pressure and psychological stress.

Some would argue, however, that singletons can live just as long – if not longer: Monks who live in absolute solitude and celibacy have been known to live past the century. So is longevity really tied to marital status?

Not according to Google…

A quick search relating to the world’s oldest people blew the above theories to pieces for me:

According to Wayodd.com, Cuban centenarian, Benito Martinez, lived to a ripe ole age of 126 before passing away in 2006. He attributed his long life to good, healthy habits: Working hard, eating fresh vegetables, smoking sparingly, drinking only on occasion and – interestingly enough – never getting married.

Apparently, Martinez stayed active right to the very end of his life, tending his plants and keeping active by dancing and visiting the local old folks’ home.

The BBC also reported one of the world’s oldest women to be a spinster.

115-year old Julie Winnefred Bertrand from Quebec passed on in 2007. She was officially proclaimed the oldest woman and the second oldest person in the world.

Still alive is the Ukraine’s Hryhory Nestor, who is 115 years old. Nestor prides himself on living a bachelor’s life and has told global newswire Reuters that he spends his time with different girls when he's not with his guy friends. He says he owes his long life to a lot of fresh air and walking around barefoot. He is close to nature and sleeps outdoors during the summer, and his diet consists of a lot of milk, cheese and potatoes.

In short, what the above goes to show is only that long life can be credited to healthy living.

While marriage itself is associated with certain health benefits that might increase one’s chances of living a long and healthy life, some of the oldest people in the world have managed to prove that this can be attained through the wise lifestyle choices; namely, eating wisely and exercising regularly. Doing so will prevent putting strain on one’s organs such as the heart, kidneys, lungs and limbs.

So you want to live till 101? Sure you can – not by walking down the aisle – but by adopting a healthy lifestyle and keeping your heart going for longer.