It strikes me that women tend to live longer than men and I'm proud of this feat! However, a part of me wants to find out why this is the case. According to scientific research, women have been proven to withstand many biological changes in their bodies more effectively compared to men.
For instance, Scientific American credits, "female hormones and the role of women in reproduction" as major reasons behind the longevity of women. Accordingly, the female hormone "estrogen" has been proven to eradicate malicious cholesterol in women whereas the male hormone "testosterone" is known for triggering aggression behaviors in men. It is indeed pathbreaking to observe how modern biology can serve as a huge mechanism to fully understand the rationale behind the difference in longevity between the two genders.
In addition, Scientific American highlights the fact that men are more prone to developing unhealthy lifestyles such as excessive drinking and smoking. Such rash decisions cause men to decrease their chances of living a longer life and they then become susceptible to many types of incurable and deadly diseases. On the other hand, women tend to indulge in a much more refined and healthy lifestyle further increasing their chances of living a longer life. A point to be noted is that men are also victims of rash and turbulent driving unlike women who are more relaxed and easy-goers when it comes to driving.
According to Dr. Steven N. Austad, a biology professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center, "Females do not live longer than males because they age slowly, females live longer because they are more robust at every age." The overall fitness and robustness of females exceed males because of the way they orient their lifestyle and behavior. From a psychological point of view, the stress levels in men are usually high because they have always been portrayed as having a lot on their plate as opposed to women.
Essentially, both men and women differ immensely in their biological make-up and these biological characteristics trigger the onset of many changes in behavior which accounts for why both genders have contrasting longevity rates. However, longevity is highly unpredictable and a refined and healthy way of life is the answer to living a longer and more enriched life!
