Coming to terms with losing a significant other is undoubtedly hard. For the stereotypically tougher sex, it seems, this is even harder.
Dying of a broken heart after losing a significant other, is a real possibility for men, according to a study which looked at how men and women coped when bereaved.
The research found widowed men died younger than their still married mates. In contrast to this, women’s rates of longevity were largely unaffected by the loss of their spouses, with some even living for longer.
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One of the possible reasons the study cites for why men are so affected is that they tend to rely on their wives to look after their health and their social lives.
The study found women were more self-sufficient, and tended to have a bigger network of friends they could lean on in times of stress.
The researchers examined data on almost 7,500 married men and women aged 50-plus whose lives and health were tracked for up to 16 years.
Their analysis revealed men who had been widowed for at least two years were 35 per cent more likely to die than those whose wives were still alive.
Divorce raised the odds of a man’s death by 59 per cent. The death or divorce of a husband showed no impact on women’s overall longevity.
But, if a woman was in an unhappy marriage, the death of her spouse was linked with a longer than normal life, according to the journal Social Science & Medicine.
The scientists, from Miami University, wrote: “One’s spouse may encourage positive health behaviours and discourage risky behaviours, a marital benefit stronger for men, which may be lost.
Indeed, divorce is associated with weight loss, smoking and, particularly for men, alcohol consumption, and widowhood is related to reductions in weight and exercise.”
