The silent killer continues to claim lives
All men do things in private that no one else knows about, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But while many of these behaviors are kept secret, others not so much. For instance, have you ever wondered why men cry less than women? Beyond social stigma, that is.
In this gallery, we delve into the world of male behavior and bring you a list of things that most men secretly do, but never admit to.
Many men have a pubic hair grooming routine, and they usually opt for a DIY approach. As for their favorite method? Shaving.
Manscaping can indeed be painful. The most common injury in men during body hair removal is laceration of the scrotum.
A study conducted at an Italian all-you-can-eat buffet found that heterosexual men who were in the company of a woman ate 93% more pizza, when compared to men who ate with other men.
The monobrow is a thing of the past, and so are caterpillar eyebrows. Whether men admit to trimming their eyebrows to avoid these, however, is a different story.
Conversely, the opposite can also happen. Some men do have thin eyebrows and resort to products to get a fuller look.
This one is a bit of a taboo for some men. How can men get an erection while going for a number two? The answer is simple: the bowel movement stimulates the prostate, which in turn arouses a man and triggers an erection.
Women are more likely to fall asleep before men do. There are several theories for why this happens, one of them being men’s "mate guarding" instinct that they inherited from their caveman days.
Many men cry, and that’s a really good thing. But not many admit to it. Biologically speaking, men do have much lower levels of prolactin (a hormone found in emotional tears) when compared to women.
So, in general, men do have a predisposition to cry less than women, but then there's also the social stigma attached to it. "Societal stereotypes and expectations discourage men from displaying emotional tears," says psychologist Georgia Ray.
This not only makes men less likely to cry, but they also refrain from doing so in front of other people. But if a man says he never cries, he’s probably lying.
Men have a number of erections during the night, but most are not related to being sexually aroused. Sometimes, though, it can happen.
Men can have wet dreams where they get sexually aroused and ejaculate while asleep. It goes without saying that most men don’t feel comfortable sharing how they woke up in the middle of the night and had to change their underwear...
Sure, many women do it too. And to be fair, most of us have probably done it at some point. Still, men seem to take the lead on this one. "Men do not like to come across as too inquisitive or overprotective, so often they resort to acquiring their information elsewhere," says dating expert Emily Morse.
Yes, it’s like men have a magnet down there and they can't keep their hands off their junk. Why? Here’s a simple explanation: sometimes men's private parts require a readjustment of position.
Sometimes it itches, sometimes an erection needs to be hidden, or, more often than not, things just need to be put in a more comfortable position. Other than that, it’s just a habit.
Thankfully, we don’t see as many men spitting on the street as we would years ago. But this was indeed a cultural habit among men and a way of expressing manliness. We still witness it in some cultures, especially among smokeless (chewing) tobacco users.
A survey conducted in the US by toiletries brand Dove found that nearly half of the participants (all men) didn’t wash their faces daily.
They may be clipping their toenails, but that’s as far as many men go when it comes to caring for their feet. Exfoliating or moisturizing wouldn’t hurt though!
Plus, men are more likely to get fungus infections on their feet. "Men tend to pick these up from the gym because they don't wear flip flops in the shower, or they wear the same pair of sweaty gym shoes every single day," explains podiatric surgeon Krista Archer.
The big question here is why? It has been suggested that it may be some sort of hygiene instinct. But so far there is no science to back this up.
Biopsychologist Nigel Barber has a different opinion. “Perhaps it’s an example of self-referential behavior analogous to looking at oneself in a mirror. In each case, the perception of self may elevate mood and boost self-esteem,” he says.
Generally speaking, research shows that men take more risks than women. But this risk-taking behavior increases when men are under stress.
While sometimes this won’t translate to something inherently negative, other times it can mean bad financial decisions, drinking, and/or other risky behavior.
According to a 2019 study, when compared to women, men rate themselves healthier than they really are, despite any medical problems they may have.
Pee shivers, also known as "post-micturition convulsion syndrome," mostly happen to men. Science hasn’t come to a conclusion as to why these happen. One theory says that the shivers are a reaction to a drop in blood pressure, body temperature, or mixed nerve signals during urination.
Men pee standing, but sometimes they sit down to do it. The reasons vary. This may be because they feel rough after a sleepless night, have a prostate condition, or sometimes they’re not sure if a number two is on the way!
Men tend to ignore poor health symptoms more often than women and dismiss them as not being serious enough to go to the doctor over.
Many men simply don’t admit they are unwell. This is one of the contributing factors for men’s lower life expectancy.
Sources: (The List) (Health Digest) (Maxim) (NBC News) (Thrillist) (Harvard Health)
See also: Symptoms men should never ignore
Men's hidden habits: what they do when no one's looking
Some of these are obvious, but others are... interesting!
HEALTH Men's health
All men do things in private that no one else knows about, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But while many of these behaviors are kept secret, others not so much. For instance, have you ever wondered why men cry less than women? Beyond social stigma, that is.
In this gallery, we delve into the world of male behavior and bring you a list of things that most men secretly do, but never admit to.