Happy wife, happy life is a cliché.
Happy wife, longer life is now a scientific fact.
A Dutch study of American couples finds that regardless of income or health how long someone lives is influenced by the relative mood or personality of the life-mate.
It has to do with lifestyle more than anything else, and author and clinical counselor Lori Vann says that makes sense. “When you’re happier you’re more likely to produce ‘happy hormones.’ You’re much more likely to be confident, you have higher self-esteem, and you’re more likely to be engaged with other people.” And if your spouse is depressed and unhappy, there is a likelihood that they don’t exercise much, have poor diet choices and don’t socialize, all of which are known to contribute to shorter life spans.
The biggest positive Vann finds in the study is that the benefits aren’t gender specific. “It’s very positive to see that healthy relationships are now equally benefiting men and women,” she tells KTRH News.