Men die too young. Here are 3 ways to fix that.

Five years is a long time. That’s how much longer women live than men, on average.

This gap is far from new. It opened up in the 1800s, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.¹ And it persists today. 

By the most recent count, the average woman lives to 81, while the average man passes at 76.² 

One explanation is that men are simply more likely to live dangerously. They’re 25% more likely to die in a car crash, for example. And they’re more than twice as likely to die in single-vehicle crashes, such as driving into a telephone pole.³ 

But accidental death isn’t the only issue. Men are also more likely to commit suicide. And they suffer worse outcomes across eight of the top 10 health burdens, including stroke, heart disease, and liver disease, according to research from The Lancet Public Health.⁴  

In addition to shortening life, these conditions also often reduce healthspan. That means that while men’s lives are often shorter, they’re also more likely to include years or decades of suffering.

Men are not destined to get sick and die early, says Dan Bilsker, PhD, a clinical psychologist and expert on men’s mental health. But the solution may require addressing some deep-rooted ideas about what it means to be a man. 

“The virtues associated with hypermasculinity may represent fatal flaws that upend a man's life and cause harm to himself and those he most cares about,” says Bilsker. 

Masculine ideals like taking risks, seeking power, and avoiding health all fit the bill. These can affirm a masculine identity, but at the cost of life.

There’s plenty to love about being a man. But it’s okay to reject the parts that don’t serve you. Here we’ll look at three ways to do that by addressing your mindset, your relationships, and your personal health.

» Meet 3 Men Who Turned Their Lives Around with InsideTracker

1. Face your mortality

Think back to your earliest heroes. Who comes to mind? 

Maybe it's Superman, Evel Knievel, or Indiana Jones. Maybe as a boy you liked the rugged everyman John McClane or the famously cool James Bond.

These are all men who flirt with death. As Blisker explains it, one of the key “virtues” of masculinity is the “willingness to take risks to protect partner, family, and community.” 

You see this play out at all levels of culture. As one notable example, Elon Musk famously talks about “saving humanity,” and to do it, he sacrifices sleep and works at an “extremely hardcore” pace.

These men help perpetuate a mythology of manhood that takes a devil-may-care position on health and death. But you don’t have to accept that. 

Think seriously about what you want to give your spouse, children, and community. Odds are, dead at 60 isn’t on the list. 

“Hypermasculinity can put men's health and lives in danger,” says John Ogrodniczuk, PhD, founder of HeadsUpGuys and the director of the psychotherapy program at the University of British Columbia.⁶ “It's incredibly important to push back against these unrealistic and harmful expectations.”

So don’t take death lightly. Have the humility to consider the fragility of life. Think deeply about the repercussions of working 60-hour weeks, texting behind the wheel, and going shot-for-shot with your drinking buddies. 

When you confront the finite nature of existence, you might find it easier to focus your priorities. You may find more energy for appreciating what you have, investing in relationships, and taking preventative health seriously. 

The Japanese can serve as an example here. The country boasts one of the highest longevity rates for men, yet culturally, it views death as a natural life stage to be met with honor and respect.⁷

Diet and lifestyle also factor into Japan’s longevity, but these things may be related to the overall understanding that life is impermanent. Viewing death as a way out of the natural world gently and honorably—rather than bursting through flames—might lead to healthier decisions all around.

» 6 Science-Backed Ways to Naturally Increase Testosterone

2. Always be communicating (ABC)

“No man is an island,” wrote the poet John Donne. The message is that humans are social creatures who thrive through relationships. 

This isn't just poetically appealing. It’s also true in a clinical sense. The long-running Harvard Study of Development has found that deep, meaningful relationships are one of the best predictors of longevity.⁸

But men often ignore this. When researchers from the Pew Research Center asked people who they'd reach out to for emotional support, men showed greater reluctance across nearly all relationships. ⁹

Compared to women, they were less likely to talk to their mom, dad, siblings, or friends.

Unfortunately, the masculine playbook tends to emphasize lone-wolf qualities. Think of Bruce Wayne in his bat cave or John Wick in his quiet grief. 

“Silence has long been considered a virtue among men,” Bilsker explains. Expressions like “man up” and “suck it up” provide flawed guidance on dealing with life, and they suggest that asking for help is emasculating. “The expectation that men conceal, if not disavow, pain,” says Bilsker.

This means that men are less likely to talk to a therapist, less likely to visit a doctor, and less likely to strike up casual friendships with other parents waiting to pick up their kids after school. 

This helps explain men’s higher propensity for disease, and it helps explain why 80% of suicide deaths are male.¹⁰

If you want to build connections, you have to get used to talking to people. Do it often. Have fun with it. Challenge yourself to open up. 

To help here, it’s good to have a framework—and “always be communicating” can be the one. The classic ABC setup is a mantra in business and leadership circles, but it can also be useful in your own personal health. 

In this context, “communicating” doesn’t mean you’re always asking for help. It means you’re saying hi, asking about people’s days, talking about shared interests. 

“Staying connected doesn’t have to mean big heart-to-hearts or forcing awkward conversations,” Ogrodniczuk explains. “It can start with small things, like joining a rec league, grabbing coffee with a coworker, or checking in with a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. The key is finding low-pressure ways to stay involved and open to talking and meeting others in a friendly way.”

» How Partners Jodee and Barry Share Their Health Journey

3. Invest in your health

As previously mentioned, masculinity often leads men to ignore their mortality and fail to ask for help. 

This helps explain why men are less likely to visit a doctor. On average, they have heart attacks at younger ages, and they’re more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.¹²

“Suffering in silence has deadly consequences,” Ogrodniczuk says. “But ignoring health doesn’t make things better—it only makes things worse.”

» How an InsideTracker Membership Uses Data to Add Healthy Years to Your Life

As a man, you need to be aware of your risks. And it’s critical that you give your health the attention it deserves. 

Broadly speaking, you should:

1. Visit the doctor for regular check-ups—and any time something’s wrong.
2. Exercise in some form every day. 
3. Prioritize sleep and stress management.
4. Monitor your health with regular blood work.

InsideTracker can make this all easier. Our members get routine health updates, motivational nudges, and regular reminders about what their body needs. 

When you become a member, you’ll either upload a blood report or book a blood test directly through us. The reason we focus on blood is that, simply put, it’s the best indicator of current health status.

Research from the American Journal of the Medical Sciences notes that routine blood tests are key to preventing and diagnosing chronic diseases.¹³

For even deeper analysis, we can also pull in your DNA report, fitness tracker data, dietary restrictions, and exercise preferences.

We'll analyze your data against thousands of peer-reviewed studies, and you’ll get a tailored plan for better health and longevity. Every few months, you can retest to track your progress and recalibrate your plan. 

By shedding dangerous ideas about masculinity, building better relationships, and investing in your health, you can avoid the fate of millions of men who die too young. 

You’ll earn more time with the people you love, and you’ll have the good health to enjoy it.

References

1.  National Bureau of Economic Research
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8141461/
4. The Lancet Public Health
5. Dan Bilsker, PhD
6. John Ogrodniczuk, PhD; Heads Up Guy
7. Journal of Forensic Research
8. Harvard Study of Adult Development
9. Pew Research Center
10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
11. American Heart Association
12. Harvard Health Publishing; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
13. American Journal of the Medical Sciences