When we think of settling down we usually have a list of qualities that we want our partner to possess. This list may include attractiveness, financial stability, and maturity to name a few.
However, what we can’t ignore completely is our partner’s ‘Age.’
According to a survey, in the US, husbands are approximately 2.3 years older than their wives. In general, also, society promotes the idea of having a little bit of age gap between the spouses, where the husband is usually older than his wife.
But are these expectations really fruitful when it comes to how long the marriage will last and how happy the couples are going to be in their marriage?
This is the topic of our discussion today where we are going to see the influence of age and age gap in relationships. Further, we are also going to highlight some interesting facts and statistics that recent studies have found out.
Contents
What does Statistics say?
Yes, indeed, statistics can’t decide your destiny, but what is equally true is that they are studies done on the general population. As a result, they are scientific proof of what actually works and what doesn’t.
So have an open mind when you read these…
There is no doubt about the fact that a concoction of ingredients is required for a successful and lasting marriage. While trust, love, and respect are of paramount importance ‘age’ alsohas been seen to play a crucial role.
A poll was conducted where data of 3000 married and divorced American couples were studied. It revealed that the greater the age gap between spouses, the greater was the likelihood of their divorce.
This is a startling finding, isn’t it?
Yes, we do imagine somediscord arising between partners who have a wide age gap between them, but it turns out that even an age gap of 1 or 5 years increases the chances of separation.
Let’s breakdown the findings highlighted by the study below:
- An age gap of 1 year increases the risk of separation by 3%
- An age gap of 5 years increases the risk of separation by 18%
- An age gap of 10 years increases the risk of separation by 39%
- An age gap of 20 years increase divorce risk by 95%
- And finally, when there is an age gap of more than 20 years it is highly likely that the marriage will end up in divorce
Marriage is basically a partnership; a partnership, where it is favorable that both spouses have had the same life experiences and are on the same page most of the time.
Recommended for you:
Top Reasons for Divorce in India
The perks of marrying someone of your own age
It has been found that though women like to be with men of their own age when it comes to marriage they marry someone who is older than them. This is no secret and it is quite evident from couples all around us. Even most society and culture promotes the same idea as they propose it is the best practice to have a happy and long-lasting marriage
However, statistics tell a different story.
It says partners who have the least age gap are the happiest.
Let’s have a look at some of the perks of marrying someone who is close to our age:
- Same outlook on life
When you and your spouse have the same age, chances are your views on life are quite similar. Even if they are not that similar, there won’t be some deal-breaker differences. - Same life experiences
Being age mates translates to having had the same life experiences such as graduating around the same time, having similar struggles in work life, being new to marriage responsibilities, etc. - Similar life goals
When couples have similar life goals they can have similar priorities. This can avoid a lot of future clashes as a relationship progresses. - More compatibility
Most people will agree with us on this. When your partner is of the same age as you there is bound to be more understanding and more compatibility between you two.
What the Alternate looks like?
With celebrities like Nick Jonas, Priyanka Chopra, and George Clooney breaking conventions, huge age gaps do not seem to be that much of a problem these days. However, we shouldn’t forget that celebrities themselves are out of the convention and that the rules of relationships are a little different when it comes to the common man.
Let’s check out the problems of having a huge age difference
- Society doesn’t approve
Couples with a huge age gap face constant criticism from society. This may eventually strain the couple’s relationship. - Complications with your partner’s children
If your partner is much older than you, chances are he/she has children. You have to consider the fact that you would need to become the children’s stepparent and look after them. - Different priorities
It’s a given that at different stages of life we have different priorities. With a huge age gap, one partner’s priorities won’t align well with the priorities of the other. - Aging issues
At present, your older spouse may look fit and attractive but soon the time will catch up with him/her and the signs of aging will appear. Before entering into marriage you have to give this a thought whether you are fine with this.
Your Partner’s ‘Age’ and your ‘Life expectancy
A study was conducted in Germany where the impact of the age gap between married couples was observed and correlated with the partners’ life expectancy. The results of this study were quite interesting!
It was found that while men’s life expectancy increased after marrying a younger wife. The life expectancy of women reduces when she marries someone much younger or older than her.
Therefore, if we combine the findings of both the studies we can easily say that for women it is definitely a good idea to marry someone of their own age.
Wrapping it up!
In this blog post, we tried to present two scenarios where partners have the same age as you and when there is a huge age gap. If you go by studies, then marrying someone your age is definitely the most successful choice. However, at the end of the day, it’s all about what feels right to you.
Recommended posts for you:
What to ask a girl during the first meeting in an arranged marriage?
10 Books for a Healthy Relationship Every Couple Should Read
How to overcome the fear of losing your partner
10 Reasons Why Forgiveness is So Important
10 Reasons Not to Get a Divorce
How to Forget Your Ex-Wife and Move on
5 Life-changing Lessons to learn from Divorce
How to Break the Vicious Circle of Bad Relationships
