Why Do Women Live Longer Than Men?

As promised, I will continue to update my aging section of this blog. When I get enough extra material, I will create a second edition for my book “Aging Really Sucks!”, with a part devoted to anti-aging.

By Jessica Migala

If you’re a man and you’re reading this, you’re expected to die several years earlier than a woman.

That may not come as a big shock. After all, women have historically lived longer than men, something that’s true in nearly every place in the world. But in recent years, the longevity gap between the sexes has only grown.

ms for masculinity that may have contributed to masking and vaccine hesitancy during the height of the pandemic, Yan adds, “and more risky behaviors in general.”

Yan remains “cautiously optimistic” that the gap will start to shrink now that we’re in a better place with COVID-19. The virus is still circulating, but most people have some sort of immunity through vaccines and prior infections, and treatments can curb serious complications if you do catch it. Still, COVID’s taper doesn’t mean a man’s vulnerabilities will go away completely.

2. Biological differences

Estrogen, the levels of which plummet at menopause, is a hormone that’s health-protective, says Dawn Carr, director of the Claude Pepper Center at Florida State University and a faculty affiliate with the Institute for Successful Longevity.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, estrogen can help protect the heart and the brain, and it can lower inflammation and improve muscle mass and bone density. In fact, estrogen is believed to be the reason women develop heart disease — the leading killer in the U.S. — a decade later than men.

3. Stress management

There’s a big difference between men and women in terms of how they process stress, Carr says: “Men tend to engage in behaviors when stressed that are more consequential to their health than women. They might drink alcohol and smoke. And they often don’t have the same social networks that are protective to talk about their feelings and manage their emotions.”

Women, on the other hand, might be more likely to reach out to a friend or family member to talk about what they’re going through, a habit that’s no doubt healthier and greatly reduces stress.

in that age range, a report from the Pew Research Center shows.

Reasons Why Women Live Longer Than Men

By Lizzie Streit

You may have heard that women live longer than men, but the reasons for this aren’t as widely known. The the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that the average life expectancy for women and men in the United States is 79.3 years and 73.5 years, respectively.

There are many theories to explain the longer life expectancy for females, ranging from biological to lifestyle differences. Here are some of the main ideas.

Many men have riskier jobs and take more risks

One theory that explains why women live longer than men is that more men are employed in riskier jobs than women. For instance, more men than women work as firefighters, at construction sites, or on the front lines of military action. Plus, men take more risks and are more prone to accidents than women. They may be more likely to not wear a seatbelt, drink alcohol, or smoke.

Estrogen plays a role in female longevity

When it comes to longevity, women have estrogen on their side. Research suggests that this hormone may be partially responsible for why women live longer than men. For example, estrogen may influence the expression of genes related to longevity and antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight oxidative stress in the body that comes along with aging.

Women seek help from doctors

Risk-taking behaviors and biological mechanisms aside, women may also live longer than men due to lifestyle habits. According to the CDC, women may be up to 33% more likely than men to visit a doctor when something is wrong. Seeking help from a doctor may help women prevent and manage health issues better than men and contribute to their longer life expectancy.

Men have worse diets than women

Better dietary choices are another lifestyle habit that may increase longevity for women. Studies suggest that women report limiting or avoiding red meat and white flour and eating fruit and fiber more than men. Since behaviors like eating nutritious foods and fresh meal plans have been linked to better health outcomes, they may be part of the reason why women live longer than men.

Women are more socially connected than men

In addition to choosing healthier foods and going to the doctor, women tend to have more social connections than men. This may be especially true later in life. Since loneliness is associated with a higher risk of death from all causes, having strong relationships may be important for increasing longevity. If women are more likely to have wider social networks than men, this may partially explain why they live longer.

5 Tips to Help You Live Longer

If any of these reasons resonate with you, you can take steps as a man to improve your odds of living longer — and that starts with taking charge of your health.

“We’re starting to think about what we can do to slow down our biological age. Women have the advantage in that space, but it doesn’t mean interventions or lifestyle changes won’t be effective for all people,” Vaughan says. “People should know that even if they start late — at 60, 70, even 80 years old — that ship hasn’t necessarily sailed.”

Here’s where to start:

1. Get screened

Ask your doctor what health screenings you’re due for. “Take advantage of the screenings that can be done to preserve your health and potentially extend your lifespan,” Vaughan says. Right now, recommendations for cancer screenings for men ages 50-plus include colorectal cancer screening, lung cancer screening (for current or former smokers), and potentially a prostate cancer screening, according to the American Cancer Society. When and how often you need these depend on your age and health, and the best person to ask is your provider.

2. Know where your metabolic health stands

“Diabetes can be a pretty silent disorder for a long period of time. It can be missed, which can have devastating effects on the cardiovascular system,” Vaughan says. In fact, a higher percentage of men (41 percent) than women (32 percent) had prediabetes, but more women were aware of their prediabetes compared to men, according to the CDC.

Getting blood tests to measure your HbA1c (a measure of blood sugar) and cholesterol levels, as well as a blood pressure reading, can tell you if you need to make lifestyle adjustments or consider medication to get those numbers in check.

3. Take stock of your mental health

It’s common for mood disorders like depression to be underdiagnosed in men. And depression is a risk factor for the aptly called deaths of despair due to suicide, alcohol use disorder and drug overdose. (The JAMA study also found that these were contributors to the male-female life expectancy gap.)

“Mental health is often overlooked in many circumstances,” Vaughan says. It can be really tough to broach the subject, but your primary care physician can be the first stop in starting the conversation — and can tell you where to go for more targeted help.

4. Maintain your relationships

Social connectedness is an important way to buffer your stress and promote emotional well-being, Carr says. Earlier research has even concluded that social ties are as important as quitting smoking or moderating your alcohol intake when it comes to lengthening your life. “Maintaining meaningful relationships with friends and family is critical and protective,” she says. Ask yourself: Have I talked to a friend today?

5. Clean up your habits

The stuff you hear all the time — what you eat, how you move, your sleeping habits — may not be surprising, but they remain consequential for your health span, or the years you live without developing an aging-related illness, Vaughan says. This is when you can do the activities you want to do without disease or functional limitations getting in the way. “Diet and exercise are the best things you can do to slow your biological age,” he says.

Common Sense and Ramblings In America

Why Do Women Live Longer Than Men?

2. Biological differences

3. Stress management

Many men have riskier jobs and take more risks

Estrogen plays a role in female longevity

Women seek help from doctors

Men have worse diets than women

Women are more socially connected than men

5 Tips to Help You Live Longer

1. Get screened

2. Know where your metabolic health stands

3. Take stock of your mental health

4. Maintain your relationships

5. Clean up your habits

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2. Biological differences

3. Stress management

Many men have riskier jobs and take more risks

Estrogen plays a role in female longevity

Women seek help from doctors

Men have worse diets than women

Women are more socially connected than men

5 Tips to Help You Live Longer

1. Get screened

2. Know where your metabolic health stands

3. Take stock of your mental health

4. Maintain your relationships

5. Clean up your habits

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