By Dr. Helen Smith in PJ Media
Studies often tell us that men are happier and healthier in marriage, but that premise is not always true.
According to a study by researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Glasgow, “The ups and downs of married life takes its toll on men’s health. A roller coaster relationship between spouses causes blood pressure, bad cholesterol and weight to rise and fall in men compared to those in a stable relationship.”When things are bad and the relationship is deteriorating, men’s blood pressure soars. But when they got along better with their wives, men saw levels of their bad cholesterol and weight drop and generally saw cholesterol and blood pressure improve.
Even though studies have shown that marriage can be good for a man’s health and life expectancy, it has not been clear whether this observed link was influenced by the health of people entering into marriage, or the protective effects of the marriage itself.
Sadly, our culture often tells women to treat their husbands poorly, not even lending a helping hand to make a sandwich. It’s no wonder so many men are experiencing ill health in their marriages.