According to a recent health study performed in England, women get happier as they age.
According to the study, in general women have higher rates of poor mental health than their male counterparts throughout their lives, until they hit the age 85 when their overall happiness starts to increase, reports Newsweek.
According to the dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, that change is due in part to the fact that women traditionally carry the burden of domestic and caring responsibilities. When they hit age 85, their partners have often already passed away and they’re no longer responsible for consistently taking care of someone else.
Married women are also more likely to develop depression during their lives. In contrast, men that are divorced, widowed, or single are more vulnerable to depression than their married counterparts.
It’s not all bad news for women. The study also found that while women have higher rates of poor mental health throughout their lives, they’re also more willing to seek help than men. The study noted that men have suicide rates throughout their lives three times that of women.
