When your kids are misbehaving, you might feel like they're giving you gray hairs and shaving years off your life – but actually, the very opposite is likely true. According to a recent study, being a father could indicate that you'll live a healthier life than your childless peers.
The study, which was founded by the National Cancer Institute and co-authored by AARP and Baylor University experts, surveyed the health of more than 138,000 men. The researcher suggests that fathers are less likely to die of heart-related diseases than men who have never fathered children – especially if those men are sterile.
"There is emerging evidence that male infertility is a window into a man's later health," explains Michael Eisenberg, the Stanford University urologist and fertility specialist who lead the study. "Maybe it's telling us that something else is involved in their inability to have kids."
Alright, so becoming a father may not be the key to immorality (at least in the literal sense – they will keep your genes alive, though!). But the next time your kids are stressing you out, remember that those little bundles of joy could be part of the reason you'll be around to enjoy your 70s, 80s and beyond.