Is there a right age for getting married? In the real world, there seems to be no standard age. Some are tying the knot in their 20s, some at a later time in their 30s and 40s but still, there are others who decide to settle down at a much later age such as in their 60s and 70s. If you've read an article on the web lately, there's even an old woman who just turned 100 and who celebrated her centennial by getting married to a man 13 years younger than her.
There are advantages and disadvantages to getting married older. One benefit when you marry at a late age is that you feel you're mature enough to handle a serious commitment such as a marriage and you have more patience to deal with a man who may have a different personality than yours. It depends as well on the man you'll be spending your life with and the age difference.
Postponing marriage at a later time also enables people to enjoy their singlehood to the fullest and prepare themselves to a more serious commitment. Sometimes, men and women may still be engrossed with their careers that they feel they're not yet ready to settle down.
When it comes to age gap, research has found that men are at an advantage. This is in relation to their life expectancy. Earlier studies have shown that older men who have younger wives live longer. Their mortality risk is lowered by 11 percent particularly for those who are older by seven to nine years than their wives. On the flipside, a man who is years younger than his wife has a bigger chance of dying early.
On the other hand, women who have husbands younger than them have a lower life expectancy. Studies have found that younger husbands may not support their wives in their old age. They may not take care of her and enjoy their late life together.
Another reason for older wives' shorter life expectancy is the fact that they can receive less social support because of their marital situation wherein the husband is much younger. This was found to have an adverse effect on the life they lead to include more stress, less satisfaction and happiness, reduced health and therefore, higher mortality.
Another disadvantage here is for women who want to start a family. Those who tie the knot in their 40s may find it hard to conceive although there are some who still succeed in having a baby at this age. Thanks to advances in medicine such as the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure, many older women have become happy mothers.
Researchers and sociologists point out that there really is no ideal age to get married. They don't recommend early marriage such as in the teens and early 20s. Many believe that marrying at an older age has more benefits to spouses and their relationship as they are able to do things together. In addition, they are less likely to entertain the thought of getting a divorce or that their relationship is unstable.
