Scientists reach a surprising conclusion: being a widow is good for your health (4 photos)

Scientists from the University of Padua, Italy, have found that being a widow isn't all that bad from a women's health perspective. Moreover, being single is beneficial for both the physical and psychological well-being of women. Interestingly, for men, this rule is precisely the opposite.





Study leader Caterina Trevisan, PhD in psychology, argues that having a wife is a very positive thing for older men. This applies both to managing the household and to their health. Women at this age, on the other hand, tend to feel less secure in their family life and are often stressed.



Having studied the lives of many couples of different ages, Dr. Trevisan discovered an interesting pattern. Since women, on average, live longer than men, they bear the burden of caring for their husbands, children, and home throughout their lives. This negatively impacts their quality of life.

But most surprisingly, this rule also applies to young women in marriage. Men require more care and attention than children and also put their significant others under stress. For most women, marriage can be comparable in psychological impact to motherhood.

A survey of women with children found that they rate the stress level of family life at 8.5 out of 10. Forty-six percent of respondents directly stated that their husbands cause them more problems than their small children.





The survey also found that 75% of married women believe that the care and upbringing of children falls entirely on their shoulders. Twenty-six percent of young mothers believe that the main reason for their stress is a lack of support from their spouse. And almost everyone, with rare exceptions, stated that their depressed psychological state was caused by nothing other than a chronic lack of time due to the constant need to run a household.

The University of Padua found that if a wife dies before her husband, the man's health deteriorates. However, if a woman becomes a widow, her health improves significantly, and depression and stress become rare. Katerina Trevisan believes this is because men are accustomed to relying more on their women than vice versa.



But there's no need to wait until your husband passes away, as there are ways to improve his health and mood during his lifetime. Scientists from Padua believe the key to the problem is that women must recognize that marriage is an equal partnership. A wife has the right to devote as much attention to herself as she does to her husband and is under no obligation to sacrifice her life completely on the altar of marriage.

Despite the findings of this study, it's worth acknowledging that many older couples are perfectly happy in their marriages, and even a temporary separation is a real tragedy for them.