Research Says Men Who Marry Women With This One Trait Have A Lower Risk Of Alzheimer’s
Vlada Karpovich | CanvaThere are a lot of different qualities that men and women both look for when choosing the person they want to marry. After all, it's one of the biggest choices you can make, so you're not just gonna pick the next person who smiles at you, although some of us are already there. Ideally, when you marry, it's supposed to last a lifetime.
So factors like "He looks great in a deep V-tee" must be weighed against headier concerns like, "How is his relationship with his parents?" and "Does he know how an oven works?" These are all equally important, albeit in their very own way. A 2016 study by Dr. Lawrence Whalley at the University of Aberdeen has made that quest for a perma-partner even more challenging — but just for the men.
Research indicates that men who marry intelligent women are less likely to develop Alzheimer's Disease.
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Dr. Whalley points out that intelligent conversation and stimulating activities can stave off degenerative disease
The theory is rooted in the brain's ability to build up a kind of mental buffer against decline through years of rich, engaging experience. Think of it like a savings account for your neurons. The more deposits you make over a lifetime of real conversation, debate, and intellectual challenge, the better equipped your brain is to handle whatever comes later.
Clinical psychologist and couples therapist Dr. Samantha Rodman Whiten agrees, explaining open-mindedness is "one of the healthiest and most protective traits for a happy marriage," and partners who genuinely challenge each other intellectually tend to be less likely to grow defensive, disconnected, or stuck over time. Getting outside your comfort zone alongside your partner, she noted, and staying curious together is one of the most underrated things a couple can do for the long-term health of a relationship.
Marrying someone who pushes you to think, argue, and grow might literally be good for your brain. I mentioned this to my boyfriend, who is ten years older than I am, and thus more likely to start showing symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease. He was nonplussed, but truthfully, that might just be because I mentioned marriage.
We've already learned that Alzheimer's and dementia can be prevented by being active in the bedroom as a senior (which my boyfriend was much more pleased to discover), now we're learning that being married to someone awesome can help, too. I'm smelling a whole new kind of online dating website. "Sizzling Senior Smarties" has a certain ring to it that cannot be ignored.
More scientific evidence supports the idea that intellectual stimulation can prevent Alzheimer's
Though my boyfriend didn't bite the first time, I fully intend on using this study as an excuse to make him do things like leave the house and maybe go to the opera, use the vacuum for once, or some such fancy nonsense.
It's important, I think, to remember that those who don't have partners aren't just out of luck. There's hope for them, too. There are plenty of ways to engage your mind and stimulate your senses. According to Harvard University research, some things you can do to engage your brain include reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, and even learning a new skill.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a freelance writer, editor, former Senior Editor of Pop Culture at Newsweek, and former Senior Staff Writer for YourTango. She has a passion for lifestyle, geek news, and true crime topics. Her bylines have appeared on Fatherly, Bustle, SheKnows, Jezebel, and many others.
