When speaking about fitness and healthy living, most men usually think of the stereotyped image of a guy eating a balanced diet, going to the gym regularly, and engaging into sports activities. All right, if you want to be different, you’ll probably choose yoga, ballroom dancing, carpentry, or even pottery as your means to exercise, relieve stress, and fight boredom. But you’ll probably do a lot of sneaking when you want to do some unique stuff. Yet the truth is that male health is not only limited to diet or doing exercises or sports. There are other aspects of a man’s life that directly or indirectly influence his health, and fatherhood is one of them.
What changes?
Several studies have shown that a man’s brain undergoes several changes in the first weeks of fatherhood. During the first days and weeks of fatherhood, the bonding experience is promoted by some neurological changes. Men’s testosterone and cortisol levels decrease during the first days of fatherhood, while oxytocin, oestrogen and prolactin levels increase. If you’re a father, you may be wondering how that role affects your overall fitness and healthy living. Of course, expecting and having your first-born child is a mixture of excitement, happiness, and worry. Yet as the number of your kids increase and you start to face the tough challenges of parenting, you’ll probably give a more serious thought on your role as a dad. You’ll have to quickly master multitasking as you change diapers, feed your kids, watch them as they run around the house, or reprimand them when they get excessively naughty.
Is fatherhood doing good or bad things to men’s health?
Generally, fatherhood creates positive changes to the entire male health. This is true compared to men who aren’t married or who don’t have kids yet. This does not mean that single men aren’t as equally healthy as married men. However, fatherhood gives you a certain edge in terms of fitness and healthy living. In fact, fathers who spend quality time with their kids are more likely to experience greater happiness and fulfilment. The responsibility of being a father always changes the lifestyle of men. They no longer work nor live for their wife, but for their entire family. In this case, they may start to drop unhealthy practices such as smoking and drinking in order to set a good example for their kids. Moreover, their desire to watch and be with their children as they grow will inspire them to maintain their health and live longer. Hence, they’ll find more reasons to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, drive carefully, and visit their physician regularly.
Of course, the joy of men is even doubled or tripled when they start to have grandchildren. Things keep on getting better as their family grows. It goes without saying that fitness and healthy living is still maintained when a man becomes a father.
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