Being a dad can help you change for the better

Being a dad is great and has many benefits. Some of these are not as obvious as the love of a child and the happiness of a family.

Here superdads look at the not so obvious factors that recent research has unearthed. If you are currently on the verge of fatherhood or even if you’re already a dad check out the benefits it will have on your life:

• Your health: Researchers have discovered a man who is a father will make better choices. The structured form a mans life takes when he becomes a dad encourages this as a decision is usually made in the best interests of the family not just the individual anymore.

• Getting in touch with the feminine side: The Minnesota Fatherhood Initiative found that men who succeeded as fathers became more in tune with their ability to care for people and show compassion. You may expect that this would be the case for their children and even their partner but apparently it extends to friends and work-colleagues too.

• Job Satisfaction Improves: Research supports the fact that fathers feel more comfortable in their occupation and feel that they perform well at work more often than men who are not fathers. It is also common for men to appreciate the need to go to work to support their family and are inclined to go to work with that in mind.

• Sex Life Will Improve: This is not a myth - as many new fathers will probably think this is a wind up. Committed fathers married to their children's mother have more and better sex than men not in such a family relationship.

• Life judgement: Research shows that committed fathers are less likely to become involved in crime, are likely to make less visits to the hospital, are likely to live longer and have a reduced risk of becoming drug or alcohol dependant.

• Exercise Increases: A mixture of exercise and additional activities make you more active as a dad. Your stint on night duty with junior means getting up, entertaining the kids whether it’s walking in the park, taking the kids into the garden, playing with a ball or going for a ride on a bike, they all make dad more active.

• Reduced Risk of Depression. It is statistically proven that men who have a family are less likely to be depressed or tempted by suicide.

• Stress reduction. The National Institute of Mental Health found that men who are in healthy family relationships are less likely to suffer from issues such as insomnia, stomach problems and fatigue which can be stress-related health problems.

For more fatherhood information visit www.superdads.co.uk