How To Live Longer: 5 Unusual Things That Boost Life Expectancy

During the epic journey toward the Fountain of Youth — the mythical pool of water that stops the aging process — men and women buy expensive skin creams and follow fad diets and detoxes to extend their lifespan. Yet for men, the secret to increasing their life expectancy and living longer than women is based on daily habits, from staring at women's breasts to having lots of sex.

Men naturally have a lower survival rate than women; 76.4 years compared to 81.2 years. Biologically speaking, women live longer because having two "X" chromosomes provides them with a backup when a genetic mutation occurs on one of the genes, while men have only a single "X" chromosome to express all their genes, whether they're damaged or not. However, social and lifestyle factors have a bearing as to how long each gender lives.

Down below are 5 unusual ways men can boost their life expectancy as they age.

Stare At Women's Breasts

Men's eyes tend to wander from a woman's face down to her chest. Previously, it's been reported men who stare at women's breasts tend to live longer, but this has been debunked. However, Men's Health provided a scientific explanation for why ogling at breasts could boost longevity for men.

They explained staring at breasts or looking at cute animals benefit a man's health by creating a positive mindset. Pleasant emotions can help both men and women make better decisions about their health. A studyin Archives of Internal Medicine found when participants were told to write down personal health goals — half of them were encouraged to think of positive thoughts when they got up in the morning and make regular self-affirmations throughout their day. After a year, positive thinking had a powerful effect on health choices: 55 percent of the patients with coronary artery disease increased their physical activity versus 37 percent in the control group; and 42 percents of those with high blood pressure followed their medication plan compared to 36 percent in the control group.

Have Lots Of Sex

If men need an excuse to have more sex, look no further than doing it for your health's sake. A study in BMJfound sex could have a protective effect on a man's health. Mortality risk was reduced by as much as 50 percent and life expectancy increased by three to eight years in the group who reported more orgasms. Sex helps promote physical well-being and can even be a stress reliever, therefore, reducing likelihood of illness.

Get Married

Men, marriage, and mortality are the three m's that go together. Men who have spouses tend to live longer than their single counterparts. A survey of over 127,000 American adults found men who marry after age 25 get more protection than those who get hitched at a younger age, and the longer a man stays married, the greater his survival advantage compared to his single counterparts.

Researchers have questioned whether healthy men are more likely to marry than men with health problems, but unhealthy men actually marry earlier, are less likely to divorce, and more likely to remarry after divorce or being widowed than healthy men. Others wonder if marriage is linked to better health, or just living with another person provides the benefit. However, it seems to be both — people living with unmarried partners fare better in health than those living alone, but men with spouses tend to have the best health.

Become A Parent

Men who get married and become parents are more likely to live longer than their childless peers. A recent study in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health found men and women with at least one child had lower death risks than their childless counterparts. When parents reached age 60, the difference in life expectancy was two years for men and 1.5 years for women. By age 80, men with children had a remaining lifespan of seven years and eight months, compared to seven years for childless men. Mothers' life expectancy at 80 was nine years and six months, while childless women had eight years and 11 months. This is merely a correlation; researchers hypothesize childless people may have unhealthier lifestyles than parents.

Assume Responsibility

A sense of responsibility can not only improve daily functioning of elderly men and women, but also their longevity. A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found residents in a nursing home who were given a plant to care for, showed an improvement in socialization, alertness, and general function. The other group received plants in which their nurses would care for directly. In a follow-up, 18 months later, half as many residents who cared for the plants themselves had died.

Get A “Dad Bod”

The "dad bod," referred to the weight men gain after fatherhood, makes men appear healthier, more attractive, and more likely to outlive their thinner counterparts. In the book How Men Age, author Richard G. Bribiescas argues pudgy men are less likely to suffer from heart attacks and prostate cancer, and more likely to invest their time in their children rather than looking for other women. Their increased fat levels also make them more attractive to women.

“This change in body composition not only causes men to shop for more comfortable trousers but also facilitates increased survivorship and, hypothetically, a hormonal milieu that would more effectively promote and support paternal investment,” he wrote.