Why Women Live Longer Than Men (And How to Close the Healthspan Gap)

In 2023, the average American man lived to 75.8 years. The average woman? 81.1 years. That is a 5.3-year gap — and it has been quietly growing for decades. Most people accept this as just the way things are. It is not.

Behind those numbers are hundreds of thousands of deaths that did not have to happen — from heart attacks caught too late, mental health crises left untreated, and doctor visits never scheduled because asking for help felt uncomfortable.

The reasons women outlive men are part biology, part behavior, and part culture. But here is what matters most: none of it is completely fixed or permanent.

Scandinavian countries are already closing the gap through smarter habits, better healthcare access, and shifting cultural norms. This article breaks down exactly why the gap exists, what is driving it in 2026, and what men can realistically do about it starting today.

Point One: The Numbers Don’t Lie — The Life Expectancy Gap in 2026

The gender gap in life expectancy is not new. But most people do not know how dramatic it has become.

In 1900, women outlived men by just two years. By 1980, that gap had grown to nearly eight years. It slowly narrowed through the 1990s and 2000s — then COVID-19 hit.

By 2021, the gap had widened again to 5.8 years, the largest it had been since 1996, according to data reported by Time Magazine and the CDC.

In the United States today, men die at higher rates than women from almost every major cause of death:

• Heart disease kills men at a rate of 457 per 100,000 — compared to 289 per 100,000 for women
• Men are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide
• Men are twice as likely to die in accidents
• 31% of men who died in 2023 were under age 65. For women, that number was only 19%

The gap is even more extreme in other countries. In Russia, men die an average of 13 years before women — largely driven by high alcohol use, smoking, and dangerous occupations. Meanwhile, in Scandinavian countries, the gap is shrinking fast and is projected to reach near-parity by 2050.

That last point matters. It tells us the gap is not fixed. It is not just destiny. Environment and behavior shape it enormously — which means it can be changed.

Point Two: The Biology Behind the Gap — Genes, Hormones, and Immune Systems

Most people assume men die younger because they work harder or take more risks. That is partly true. But biology was already stacking the deck before birth.

This is a major reason why heart disease tends to hit women about 10 years later in life than men. After menopause, when estrogen drops, women’s heart disease rates begin to catch up.

Women have stronger immune systems.

Research consistently shows that women mount more robust immune responses to infections and vaccines. This means they fight off illness faster and more effectively. The tradeoff is that women are also more prone to autoimmune conditions — but on balance, the stronger immunity contributes to longer life.

Even in animals, females live longer.

A 2025 study from the Max Planck Institute, published in Science Advances, analyzed 134 populations across 101 mammal species. Female mammals lived longer than males in 72% of species examined, with the gap averaging about 13%.

Critically, the researchers found the gap was smaller in animals living in zoos than in the wild — proving that environment and behavior, not just genes, drive a significant portion of the difference.

Biology gives women a head start. But the behavioral data shows that men are the ones handing back the advantage.

Point Three: Behavior Is the Biggest Variable — What Men Do Differently

Here is the part of this story that most people overlook: biology explains some of the gap, but behavior explains most of it.

Men avoid doctors.

This is the single most consequential behavioral difference. Men visit doctors far less often than women. They are less likely to go for routine checkups, cancer screenings, or blood pressure checks.

The result is that diseases like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and several cancers are caught later in men — when they are much harder to treat.

Smoking and alcohol.

While the gap between men and women has narrowed in recent decades, men still smoke at higher rates and consume significantly more alcohol. Heavy alcohol use alone is a primary driver of Russia’s staggering 13-year gender gap. Leaving alcohol and stay Healthy Life.

Dangerous jobs.

Men make up the overwhelming majority of workers in the most hazardous industries — construction, mining, logging, and first responders. Occupational deaths and injuries are disproportionately male.

Risk-taking behavior.

Men are statistically more likely to speed, skip seatbelts, ignore safety equipment, and engage in physically dangerous activities. This is partly socialized — boys are often raised to equate risk-taking with strength or competence.

Suicide.

Men are nearly four times more likely than women to die by suicide, according to USAFacts and CDC data from 2025. A major driver is that men seek mental health support at far lower rates. Stoicism — suffering in silence — is still treated as a virtue in many cultures, and it is quietly deadly.

It is worth saying clearly: a lot of this is not natural. Much of it is learned behavior. And learned behavior can be unlearned.

Point Four: The Hidden Side — Women Live Longer but Often Sicker

Here is the twist that most articles on this topic completely miss.

Women outlive men. But they often spend more of those extra years in poor health.

According to a January 2025 report from the McKinsey Health Institute, women spend approximately 25% more of their lives in poor health compared to men. They live longer — but a greater portion of those years involves chronic pain, disability, or serious illness.

Why? Part of the answer is that women are systematically underdiagnosed.

A landmark Danish study of seven million people found that women were diagnosed with the same conditions an average of four years later than men across hundreds of diseases. Heart disease — the number one killer of women — is still widely perceived as a “man’s disease,” which means women’s symptoms are taken less seriously and identified later.

The World Economic Forum’s 2024 report found that women are 10% less likely to have their pain properly assessed when they arrive at a hospital. They are also less likely to be included in clinical drug trials, meaning many medications are dosed and developed primarily based on male biology.

This reframes the entire conversation. The goal is not just for men to live as long as women. The goal is for everyone — men and women — to maximize their healthy years. Researchers call this healthspan, as opposed to lifespan.

Dr. Jennifer Pearlman, a longevity physician and faculty member at The Geneva College of Longevity Science, has coined the term “FemSpan” to describe the effort to help women not just live longer but live better. Both sexes have work to do here.

Point Five: How to Close the Gap — 8 Evidence-Based Strategies for Men

The gap is not fate. Here is what the science actually says works.

1. Book a preventive health appointment — this month, not next year.

Early detection of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and common cancers is the single highest-leverage thing a man can do.

A blood panel and a conversation with your doctor costs almost nothing compared to what late-stage treatment costs — in money, pain, and years of life. If you have not had a checkup in over a year, this is your most important action item.

2. Start strength training two to three times per week.

Muscle mass is one of the strongest predictors of longevity in men over 40. Longevity physician Dr. Peter Attia, author of the book Outlive, has made this point extensively:

the more muscle mass and functional strength you maintain as you age, the lower your risk of dying from the four major killers — heart disease, cancer, dementia, and metabolic disease. You do not need a gym membership. Bodyweight training works.

3. Reduce or eliminate heavy alcohol use.

You do not need to become fully sober unless you want to. But cutting back on heavy drinking has an outsized impact on longevity. Russia’s 13-year gender gap is largely an alcohol story.

Clinical evidence consistently shows that Leaving alcohol consumption improves cardiovascular health, liver function, sleep quality, and mental health simultaneously.

4. Protect and build your social connections.

A Harvard study found that loneliness increases mortality risk by 29%. Men, on average, have fewer close friendships than women — and that gap widens after age 30.

This is not a soft issue. Social isolation is as dangerous to your health as smoking. Invest in friendships the same way you would invest in exercise.

5. Treat mental health with the same urgency as physical health.

Men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women. A significant reason is that men are far less likely to seek mental health support.

Therapy, counseling, or even peer support groups are not signs of weakness — they are evidence-based health interventions. If cost is a barrier, many community mental health centers offer sliding scale fees, and several apps now offer affordable access to licensed therapists.

6. Sleep seven to nine hours consistently.

Chronic sleep deprivation is directly linked to accelerated cardiovascular disease — the number one killer of men. Poor sleep raises cortisol, increases blood pressure, and impairs blood sugar regulation.

Protecting your sleep is not lazy. It is one of the most well-researched longevity behaviors available.

7. Shift toward a Mediterranean-style diet.

You do not need to overhaul your entire diet overnight. But clinical trial data shows that a Mediterranean diet — heavy on vegetables, legumes, olive oil, fish, and whole grains — reduces the risk of cardiovascular death by up to 30%.

Swap out ultra-processed foods gradually. Start with one meal a day.

8. Challenge your risky defaults.

Wear your seatbelt every single time. Use the safety equipment at work. Get unusual moles or skin changes checked. These feel small — but statistically, they are high-impact.

Men die at higher rates from accidents and preventable causes largely because of accumulated small decisions to skip safety steps. This one costs nothing.

Point Six: What Society Must Change to Help Men Live Longer

Individual habits matter. But the countries that have successfully narrowed the gender gap did not do it through willpower alone. They did it through systemic change.

Scandinavian countries have invested heavily in workplace mental health programs, particularly in male-dominated industries like construction and agriculture.

They have normalized men seeking help, built social safety nets that reduce economic stress, and created cultures where preventive healthcare is standard — not something only women do.

The Global Action on Men’s Health (GAMH), an international advocacy organization, has been pushing governments to include men’s health as a specific policy priority — not just a footnote under general public health.

Their argument is simple: when men die prematurely, families lose fathers and partners, economies lose workers, and communities lose members. A 2024 analysis published in PMC estimated that men’s premature mortality costs the U.S. economy approximately $479 billion annually.

Schools teaching boys basic health literacy — including how to recognize symptoms, how to talk about emotions, and why preventive checkups matter — would have a compounding effect over decades.

Reducing the stigma around men seeking medical help is not a cultural luxury. It is a public health necessity.

Final Words,

Women outlive men by 5.3 years in the U.S. — but that gap is driven more by behavior and avoidance than by biology alone. The biology gives women a head start. Men give the rest away through skipping doctors, ignoring mental health, taking unnecessary risks, and living in a culture that treats asking for help as weakness.

The strategies that close the gap are not complicated or expensive. They are consistent. Start with one thing from the list above this week. Book the appointment. Schedule the workout. Call a friend. Your future self has years to gain — and the science says those years are available to you.

The gap is real. But it is not inevitable.