Older Adults Who Feel Younger Can Live Longer, Says Research!

According to the new research, older adults who feel younger can lead a better and healthy life and even live longer. Researchers say feeling younger includes fitness activities, energy for recreation, and involvement in creative activities.

Experts further say older people can feel younger if they spend time meditating, laughing, and learning.

Benefits of Feeling Younger

People who feel younger can fight the damaging effects of stress. The American Psychological Association published the recent research in the journal Psychology and Aging.

In this study, scientists examined the three years of a report from the German Centre of Gerontology. 5039 individuals over 40 years participated in the German Ageing Survey.

Scientists asked questions related to their perceived relationship to stress and their overall feelings of well-being and overall feelings.

People who reported more stress in their lives have gone through a steeper decline in functional health in three years. 

Feeling younger than your chronological age was linked with functional health and stress.

Simply put, feeling younger than you are may help manage the effects of stress. This plays a major role in managing overall health as you grow older.

What Does Feeling Younger Mean?

It is important to take care of your health. If feeling youthful can help manage your overall health then you should follow the approach. Feeling young is not a new concept.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, people’s heart age could be more than their actual age because of their lifestyle factors that include stress. Reducing stress is the key to lowering the risk of getting heart disease and stroke.

According to Akua K. Boateng, Ph.D., LPC, a licensed psychotherapist in Philadelphia, feeling younger is considered as an attitude of emotional flexibility, cheerfulness and learning into creativity.

How to Feel Younger

The research author recommends that interventions help people to feel more youthful that also help decrease the harm caused by stress and help improve older adults’ health.

Experts expressed that further study is required to prove what kind of interventions may work to improve feeling younger.

Scientists stated that feeling younger is similar to shifting your mindset.

It can be started by questioning yourself ‘how old you feel today.

Afterwards, you should make a conscious effort to modify your lifestyle by doing activities like exercise because small steps can always make a difference.

Here are some tips for feeling young, according to Boateng:

People should play games, sports or involve themselves in social interactions and these activities should be added to their weekly routine.

People should learn to laugh every day.

People allow themselves to learn new things every day that help explore something new every day.

Do not dim your curiosity. Ask questions.

People should be spontaneous and adventurous.

National Institute on Aging recommends tips to relieve stress:

Meditating can help relieve stress.

By starting stress management or relief program.

Talking about things with loved ones.

Increasing your physical activity.

Are you struggling to shift your mindsets? Try talking with friends, trusted professionals.

There are many ways to shift your mindset. You can ask for help from others who experienced the same before or now.

If you are still struggling to shift your mindset or feeling sad about your age or your relationship, seek mental health support.