Here are excerpts from
the story with my valuable insights in italics.
A new study shows that
having a happy spouse is linked to greater longevity.
In fact, researchers say
that a spouse’s satisfaction in life predicted a person’s
lifespan even more than it did their own overall contentment.
“The data show that
spousal life satisfaction was associated with mortality, regardless
of individuals’ socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, or
their physical health status,” says study author Olga Stavrova, a
researcher at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, in
a statement to the Association for Psychological Science.
I think if anyone knows
about spousal satisfaction, it is going to be someone named Olga from
the Netherlands. I would have to agree with her statement. I know
some very wealthy married people who have health problems and are not
happy. They have enough money to get the best possible medical care,
but they often wish their spouse would come to see them in the
hospital rather than going shopping. I believe having a happy spouse
will help you live longer because an unhappy spouse is a very
dangerous thing. I know this because I watch a lot of crime show.
An unhappy spouse seems to easily turn into a deadly spouse.
That’s because people
who are generally unhappier are more likely to lead a less
healthy lifestyle. And when one spouse is mired in bad habits, the
other’s lifestyle is often dragged down as a result. Conversely,
having a more active spouse will likely push one to be just as
physically active.
My wife is active. She
has too much energy. This is a woman who can wake up in the morning,
start laundry, fix breakfast, make coffee and pay bills before I know
I'm alive and awake. This is a woman who is very active and will
take me with her if I like it or not.
“I'm tired.”
“How could you be
tired? We've only hiked 24 miles in the past hour after doing the
grocery shopping and putting a new roof on our house.”
“Aren't you tired?”
“I may need an energy
bar before we start mountain climbing today, we'll see.”
For the study, Stavrova
used data from 4,400 over-50 couples across the U.S. who took part in
an eight-year survey by the National Institute on Aging. The couples
were either married or living together, and 99% were heterosexual.
I suppose it makes
sense for us over 50 couples would be the targets of these kinds of
studies. I have people actually ask me what is the key to a happy
marriage. I tell them I don't know, and I have to ask my wife first.
I wonder if these couples were over 50 when they started the study,
or at the conclusion of the study? Eight years of experience in a
marriage makes a big difference. My wife discovered my hidden secret
of putting hot sauce on some of her culinary masterpieces and things
have been different ever since.
“I think it's time
you join hot sauce users
anonymous.”
“Is this a hot sauce
use intervention?”
“Yes, and I'm only
doing it because I love you.”
“Why did you lock my
bottles of hot sauce locked in a gun safe?”
“It's for your own
good.”
The results also show that
even if a partner was happier at the beginning of the study period,
but grew unhappier over time, the participant’s risk of death
increased more slowly compared to someone whose spouse was unhappy
at the start.
Does
this mean if you want to live longer, and your spouse is unhappy, you
should keep them unhappy to extend your life? I guess the key is to
do what is necessary to keep your spouse happy. With me this
involves a lot of being confused, just going along with her plans and
resting when possible. I know one couple where the wife who likes
animals. They have quite a few of them. There are people who work
in a zoo who wouldn't go to their home. I guess they're happy and
that is all that matters. I believe they'll probably live longer
than anyone else I know. Unless their animals get angry and decide
to make them human pâté.
Here is a link to the story.
https://www.studyfinds.org/happy-wife-longer-life-happier-spouse-adds-years-lifespan/
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