Being Married and Having More Sex Might Lower Your Risk of Dementia

Good news mums and dads! According to a new study in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, being married can possibly lower your risk of dementia.

Can being married really lower your risk of dementia?

The study looked at evidence from 15 previously published studies involving more than 800,000 people in Europe, North and South America and Asia and discovered that people who were never married were 42% more likely to suffer from dementia, while widows and widowers were 20% more likely to acquire the disease.

The researchers added that it might be related to the fact that sexual activity has been found to benefit a person’s cognitive functioning, and widowed or unmarried people might have less sex compared to married couples.

Another interesting theory that the researchers put forth is that people who chose to stay single may also have cognitive traits that put them at risk for dementia, such as having trouble communicating or being inflexible.

A happy marriage can make you live longer

The benefits of being married have been well-documented, and researchers have found that being in a long-term relationship is good for a person’s physical and mental health.

Here’s a list of just a few of those benefits:

• Married couples tend to make healthier life choices, such as eating healthier and quitting vices such as smoking or drinking.
• Married couples are less prone to depression compared to those who stay single.
• Married couples are also more financially stable, not just because of the shared income, but they can also share the cost of things such as houses or cars.
• Being married also helps couples deal with family and work stress since they have someone who will support them.

So mums and dads, make sure to keep your marriage happy so that both you and your spouse can live long and fulfilling lives!

Source: time.com

READ: If you have these symptoms, get yourself assessed for young-onset dementia