According to this study, girlfriends who nag or exhibit “irritating” behavior are actually gems and should be appreciated by their partners. So if you are a woman with a strong personality, know that it’s not a concerning quality — you’re actually helping your partner lower their risk of contracting health issues like diabetes.
Having a strong personality may have certain consequences, but this study from specialists at Michigan State University and the University of Chicago proved their benefits, with an analysis proving that having a bad temper can impact certain health conditions.
1,229 people and their partners were asked about how satisfied they felt in relationships and how happy they were. They answered questions about whether they spent free time together, how much trust and openness they felt, and the criticism or demands they thought were directed towards them.
Women with positive responses had a reduced risk of getting diabetes, which researchers explained was due to the conscious way women interact with their partners. This ultimately had an effect on their metabolic health.
Men, however, showed different results in the women’s study — the opposite, in fact! Men that wrote responses showing they were in relationships with women who like control, made demands and criticized them displayed lower probabilities of developing diabetes in the future. Beyond having a lower chance of developing diabetes, the men in the studies also improved their chances of controlling blood sugar levels after diabetes is diagnosed.
Scientists noted that this was due to a partner’s willingness and effort to track their partner’s health. Although the male participants of the study interpreted this as criticism and demands, scientists determined that this was not the result of a conflicted relationship with problems.
Women with a “bad temper” apparently also make better decisions generally because they’re more intelligent. This study by the University of South Wales and the School of Psychology shows that these women are more skeptical, which is a good thing. It means that their decision-making process is more analyzed and objective. They also know how to clearly articulate a message effectively, persuading someone. This may be why partners pay more attention to them and have better health as a positive consequence!
Associate professor Catchy Liu, Ph.D, told Heathline.com, “Since diabetes is affected by social factors, I thought it would be interesting to see how marriage affects the disease rate,” she told Healthline. “For women, consistent with expectations, good marital quality promotes women’s health. It lowers their risk of disease.”
Strong personalities in women also present an advantage when making a decision, but there are some negative sides to having a temper; Still, the research of Juan Manuel Romero Villa shows that people who are usually in a bad mood tend to gain weight. When our bodies release adrenaline and cortisol, it causes inflammation. The body is unable to release energy, and this causes weight gain. Still, stress manifests differently in all of us.
Loud and opinionated women have always had society try to silence them. But ultimately, a lot of the noise we’re making is for the better of the world around us. Irritable is just a mansplaining way to describe fierce, strong women who help their communities thrive.
Nagging, in reality, is regulation. Men don’t pay attention to their health, so the burden falls on their wives and girlfriend to ensure they exercise enough, don’t eat too much sugary stuff, get all their veggies in, and monitor all their other health behaviors. In addition to taking care of themselves, women do a lot.
This regulation improves the overall life quality of men, but they choose to see it as irritating and hostile behavior.
Overall, this study is challenging the common perception that negative marital quality is always bad for your health. The truth is much more complicated — especially given that nagging is caring when the gender roles are switched. Nagging means that women are household managers and are on top of domestic matters that men simply see as repetitive requests. Women help men live longer, and this is the thanks they get!
A way for couples to meet in the middle all comes down to communication. Seeing each other’s perspectives is essential in a relationship, so try to see things through the lens of someone else that loves you. If a woman communicates that they’re requesting something because they care for and love their partner, it can make the conversation easier.
