9 Surprising Ways Marriage Transforms Men

Despite the fact that it’s long been rumoured that guys don’t really want to get married and only do so because they’re pressured into it by the ladies, single guys may want to rethink their thoughts on the topic.

According to multiple studies, marriage is unbelievably great for their health, sanity, mentality and pretty much everything else of men.

Case in point: married men have stronger bones. Researchers found that men, who marry before the age of 25, have far stronger bones than those who have never married or have been in a marriage that has failed. Sorry, ladies, the same doesn’t go for you.

So, if the correlation between men and marriage can result in such a bizarre, yet great effect, what are some other things that men can expect if they decide to take the plunge? Read on for eight other interesting facts.

1. They have healthier hearts.
So love is good for the heart? It appears to be so. Studies have found that not only are unmarried men 3x more likely to end up with heart disease than their married counterparts, but married guys have a 46 percent lower rate of death than those who never got hitched.

2. They’re more likely to get fat.
Yikes! Not exactly something you necessarily want to hear, and definitely not a pro, but the fact is that men start packing on the pounds after their married. As we learned here at YourTango, while being in a serious relationship won’t necessarily lead to weight gain, marriage, on the other hand, does, with 25 percent of men being more likely to be overweight thanks to marriage.

3. They’re less likely to have mental illness.
Although it’s not true for every married man, research has found that men who are married have lower depression than those who aren’t married. They also have a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, as they get older. What does this actually mean? Your husband is not going to forget some of the stuff you wish he would anytime soon.

4. They live longer.
It might seem weird that something like marriage would keep someone alive longer, but it’s true. Married men, according to studies, live far longer than men who have been divorced, widowed, or have never married at all. So, ladies, when you say, “Until death do you part,” during your wedding, know that you’re both in it for the long haul.

5. They make more money.
What?! Weird, I know. It does seem like this shouldn’t come into play, but it does. Sarah Jane Glynn, a policy analyst for the Center for American Progress explains that it’s due to “unconscious biases” where our culture “continues to buy into this notion that men should be the breadwinners.” Yes, gentlemen, you need to get married right now if you feel you’re underpaid… you’ll also get more promotions, too.

6. They drink less.
You’d think that marriage would make anyone want to drink more, but — I kid! Statistically, marriage leads to men drinking way less than they did when they were single. Married woman, however, not only drink more than married men, but also more than women who are divorced or windowed. What does this say? You do the math. (Read: Guys, you’re stressing us out!) Or not.

7. They’re more likely to beat cancer.
How cancer and marriage go hand-in-hand seems baffling, but proof doesn’t lie. Cancer patients who are married are 20 percent less likely to die from the disease, and, are you ready for this, regardless of the stage of their cancer. Married men are also 17 percent less likely to have their cancer metastasize, unlike single guys.

8. They’re protected from crime.
Apparently, single guys are four times more likely to be the victim of a violent crime as opposed to married men. If being married means keeping a guy out of your face, who doesn’t want in on the marital bliss club?