It is the secret we are all trying to unlock — how to live long and happy lives.
Science has found the key to success — for men, anyway.
In the United Kingdom, men in general are not expected to live as long as women — so maybe they need a little bit more help.
The average life expectancy for a man is 79, where women are expected to live to 82.
The reason for women outliving men is genetics, according to Medical Daily. Women have two X chromosomes, which provides them with a backup if a mutation occurs. However, men do not have that luxury — they only have one X chromosome to express all their genes.
Lifestyle factors can also impact how long a person will live.
Here are six ways a man can boost his life expectancy.
1. Stare at boobs
It may seem like an inconvenience or an invasion of privacy to many women, but staring at boobs creates a positive mindset in men.
The same effect occurs when they look at cute animals.
A 2012 study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, looked at the effects positive thinking had on men’s health.
After a year, positive thinking had a powerful effect on health choices.
More than half of the patients with coronary artery disease increased their physical activity versus 37 percent in the control group, who were not asked to write down positive thoughts in the morning.
The same happened to men with high blood pressure.
More than 40 percent of those with high blood pressure followed their medication plan compared to 36 percent in the non-positive-thinking group.
2. Have lots of sex
What every man wants to hear, but there is a good reason for it.
A study in the BMJ found that sex could decrease a man’s mortality rate by as much as 50 percent.
It is all down to sex promoting physical well-being, as well as being a stress reliever — which can help reduce the likeliness of illness.
Not to mention sex releases serotonin, the happy hormone, which makes us feel better overall.
In the study, life expectancy increased by three to eight years in the group who reported more orgasms.
3. Get married
But it also depends on the age at which they get married.
A survey of more than 127,000 Americans found men who got married after they were 25 were likely to live longer than those who married young.
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 are more likely to remarry after divorce or being widowed than healthy men.
Others have wondered whether living with another person has health benefits.
But it seems to be both.
4. Have kids
It seems like a natural progression, really.
Men who marry and have kids live longer than those who don’t.
A study in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health found that when parents reached age 60, men with kids saw their life expectancy go up two years while women increased by 1.5 years.
By the age of 80, men with kids were expected to live eight months longer than those without kids.
5. Be responsible
A sense of responsibility can do wonders.
A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology discovered older people in nursing homes who were given a plant to care for had improved socialization, alertness and general function.
Perhaps that is why having kids is good for you.
6. Get a ‘dad bod’
Most men gain a bit of weight after they have kids, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.
A book called “How Men Age” argues that tubby men are less likely to suffer a heart attack or prostate cancer and are more likely to invest their time in their children.
Author Richard G. Bribiescas says their increased fat levels also make them more attractive to women — which will help with the above tips.