Aging is inevitable, but you aren’t powerless against it.
Research suggests that only about 15% to 25% of aging is dependent on your genes. Your lifestyle and the environment in which you live are more influential in determining your life span.
That means it’s never too late to change the course of your health. Among individuals in middle age and older, adopting healthier lifestyles has been found to extend survival, even for people with chronic illnesses.
Of course, lifestyle habits like a nutritious diet and regular physical activity play an important role in your wellbeing — but they aren’t the only factors. Consider the following, which have all been linked with living a longer, better life:
- Good social support. Several studies link social support with a lower risk of early death. In one study, researchers monitored the health of nearly 7,000 Californians for more than 17 years. They found that those lacking social connections were approximately 2 to 3 times more likely to die at a younger age than were their counterparts with more social connections.
- Optimism. Increasing evidence suggests that practicing optimism affects your health. A Dutch study found that older adults with an optimistic disposition — people who generally expected good things rather than bad things to happen — lived longer than those who tended to expect doom and gloom.
- Spirituality and religion. A number of scientific studies suggest that the quality of your life and your ability to cope with stress and adversity in your later years is influenced by your spiritual well-being. People who attend religious services tend to enjoy better health, live longer, and recover from illness faster and with fewer complications than do those who don’t attend such services.
Cultivating optimism, spirituality and relationships in your life may seem intimidating, or even impossible. Christina Chen, M.D., a specialist in geriatric care at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, offers insight and advice for those looking to grow in these areas.
Q: Longevity is typically associated with things like diet, exercise and managing chronic diseases. Where would you rank relationships and personal connections in terms of importance for longevity?
A: There is plenty of evidence to support that maintaining an active social life may help you live longer. We know that people who are isolated face a higher risk of depression, mental health concerns and premature death. This is especially important in older adults with dementia. Social connection is critical to maintaining cognitive well-being.
Q: We hear a lot about the power of optimism, but what can older adults do to become more authentically optimistic?
A: Not everyone is an optimist by nature, but everyone is able to feel joy, hope and satisfaction. The optimist mindset generally views that things will work out for the best, even in the setting of complete chaos and situations not in your favor. Working toward that mindset requires small habit changes over time. Some of these habits may involve regularly practicing gratitude and mindfulness, and not surrounding yourself with persistently negative perceptions. You are what you think and what you regularly hear. Humans by nature are most impacted by negative experiences and tend to dwell on the most. As a result, it’s easy to build up defenses and approach the next situation more cautiously with some degree of pessimism or caution.
Practicing gratitude, living in the moment and using mindfulness can help you preserve these experiences of joy, appreciation and happiness. These are the experiences that people tend to easily forget. But they are so important not just for feeling optimistic but also for your mental health and well-being.
Q: How can a healthy spiritual life, inside or outside of organized religion, help feed overall health?
A: Spirituality offers a sense of grounding and greater appreciation of your body, mind and sense of purpose. This is why meditation can be so powerful — it offers an opportunity to rediscover your day-to-day purpose and practice gratitude. Positive thoughts don’t come automatically to most people, so it’s important to be intentional about these moments that feed your soul.
Q: How can a longtime couple “in a rut” turn things around?
A: Although I’m not a relationship counselor, I can share a few things that work for me:
- Take time to rediscover the things you appreciate about each other and why you committed to each other.
- Make the effort and sacrifice to change small habits that the other would appreciate. Even if the other does not seem to make the same gesture at first, the cycle of love and respect needs to start somewhere.
- Consider taking on a new hobby together: something unexpected, something challenging or new. My husband and I started training together in Brazilian Jiujitsu five years ago and we always look forward to the evenings we can learn how to break each others’ limbs. It’s the best part of my week!
Q: What tips or success stories can you share about older adults successfully making friends, especially for people who aren’t social by nature?
A: Making friends can come easily for some and be challenging for others. The most important thing is putting in the effort. Personalities do not always mix and that’s OK. If you meet 50 people and only connect with one, at least you’ve been able to interact with 50 unique individuals, and hopefully learn something from them or enjoy something about them. I still remember people I met on vacation, on the plane, in the store, at various events — I left each interaction appreciating the uniqueness of that person and what I learned from them. It doesn’t mean that you necessarily need to be best friends with them. It’s the human interaction that’s most important and what is needed in this world nowadays.
Q: As a doctor, how do you approach patients who are perhaps lonely or in a strained relationship or lacking purpose? You can’t prescribe 10 milligrams of optimism like you can prescribe a drug.
A: You can’t prescribe optimism, and it’s hard for people to suddenly turn on the optimism switch. But you can instill a sense of hope for people around you.
It’s often not helpful to say phrases like: “Be happy with what you have!” “Stay positive!” “Think happy thoughts!” Instead, empower your loved ones by focusing on their strengths or their progress and outlining a plan to help them reach an achievable goal. Help them envision a purpose and a life that they look forward to. Tell people that you’re proud of them and that you see their value and their potential for growth and improvement.
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