Couples With a Big Age Gap Prove Love Doesn’t Judge, and Science Backs It Up

Love is blind. Especially when it comes to age. Couples are proving that an age gap of 17, 25, and even 32 years is not something to be scared of. In fact, studies already found benefits for both the male and female parts of a heterosexual age-gap couple. Although they still suffer from stigmas, most of these relationships tend to thrive and form beautiful families.

Bright Side adores talking about love and prepared a complete guide to age-gap relationships. Because when the passion kicks in, the date of birth of our loved one is the last thing on our minds.

What is considered a big age gap?

Science says that couples with an age difference of 10 or more years are already considered as having a big age gap, and this type of relationship is more common than we think. A 2017 survey shows that almost 8% of men marry women who are younger by 10 years or more, while almost 2% of women do the same with younger spouses.

The prejudice behind age-gap relationships.

Society tends to judge age-gap relationships, calling them “weird” or “creepy.” As a matter of fact, a recent study found out that relationships between an older and a much younger partner were considered less liked and less equitable. But we now have more openly happy age-gap relationships in media that are determined to break this stigma.

A big age difference can be beneficial.

Both older women and older men can benefit from an age gap in their relationship. For men, revealing studies suggest that, compared to same-age couples, the husband’s mortality risk decreased by 11% when he was 7 to 9 years older than his wife. Another theory says that older men are less likely to suffer from heart attacks, strokes, and cancer because their younger wives inspire them to stay fit and healthy.

Women tend to be more committed and more satisfied with their relationships when their partners are ten or more years younger than them. It’s also believed that women feel that they have a more dominant position in an age-gap relationship, making them feel empowered.

How to make an age-gap relationship work.

Just like any other partnership, there are a few challenges to overcome and some secrets to building a successful relationship:

• Set a life goal. In an age-gap relationship, both sides have to be aware of their dreams, needs and find common goals. This can happen especially when it comes to kids. The older partner may not want or be able to have more children, while their younger partner may still want to build a family.

• Be aware of health problems. In other relationships, both parts tend to grow old together, but in an age-gap partnership, one side reaches the older stage of life faster. Keep in mind that chronic health issues can appear and that they can highlight the age difference between the two of you.

• Work out the money imbalance. Money is always an important topic to discuss with your partner, but in an age-gap relationship, it’s a key factor. When you date an older person, it’s to be expected that they already have an established career and possessions, such as a house and a car. This needs to be considered early on to avoid power imbalances in the future.

• Invest in friends and family support. As mentioned earlier, age-gap relationships tend to be stigmatized, but with friends and family supporting the couple, it makes it easier to sustain. It’s important to find a way to blend into each other’s peer groups, keeping in mind that the age difference may also mean different ways of having fun.

What’s the age gap between you and your partner?