Beer, Sex & Marriage: The Keys To A Long Life?

A recent Time article created quite a stir when it revealed that moderate drinkers (those consuming one to three drinks a day) had a longer life expectancy than non-drinkers.  In fact, the study actually concluded that even heavy drinkers lived longer than those that never enjoyed a frosty cold beverage.

It appears that the stress reduction and the social connections generally associated with drinking may help explain the findings. If your social life includes chatting with friends over a glass of wine or enjoying a few beers with friends at the baseball game, then you may find this news quite encouraging.

However, you may have even more to look forward to in your quest for a long, enjoyable life. If your path leads to a life-long marriage, you could really add some time to your golden years.

According to Scott Haltzman, M.D., of Brown University, “mortality rates are 50 percent higher for unmarried women.” And the news is even better for men:

“The health benefits of marriage are so strong that a married man with heart disease can be expected to live, on average, 1,400 days [nearly four years] longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart,” says Haltzman.

Now, if you really want to live a long and happy life, there appears to one final ingredient that you'll have to add to the mix.  You'll need to have happy, fulfilling sex on a regular basis with your spouse.

Mark Stibich, Ph.D., explains that having more sex may increase how long you live.  Sex releases several hormones in the body, increases intimacy and bonding, and works against loneliness and depression. Staying sexually active has physical, stress relieving, social and mental benefits.

We can thank medical research for unlocking the keys to the modern fountain of youth. And a formula of a healthy marriage, fulfilling and frequent sex and a regular dose of social drinking is one that many of us can follow with a smile...for many years to come.