What is the secret of longevity? American researchers from the University of Michigan in the USA have investigated the matter. In a new scientific study, they managed to isolate four essential factors for aging as well as possible and hope for a long and beautiful life.
Regular physical exercise, a healthy diet and good sleep are essential for healthy aging. But that wouldn’t be enough. According to researchers at the University of Michigan in the United States, mental health is the real secret to longevity and four factors in particular: optimism, happiness, social support, and having a goal or finding meaning in life. The scientists have presented their findings in a new study reported by the University of California, Berkeley, science magazine Greater Good, on Wednesday, April 13, 2022.
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A study based on the emotional state
The researchers examined the emotional state of 21,000 adults aged 50 and over. They relied on data from another survey looking at health and retirement, also conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan.
Every four years, participants in this earlier study had to complete a mental health questionnaire that asked them about their levels of happiness, optimism, life satisfaction, and social support. This made it possible to create their feel-good score.
Between 2006 and 2020, nearly 5,000 participants in the Health and Retirement Study died. The researchers then looked at how their mental health might or might not have contributed to their longevity. They then compared the mental well-being of deceased people by analyzing their well-being scores with those of their living peers.
Having a purpose in life, the factor that has the greatest impact on longevity
Optimism, happiness, social support and purpose in life are the secrets of longevity. (Illustrative photo: Fotolia Archives)
And the conclusion is clear: the study participants who are still alive usually have significantly better mental health. Emotional well-being therefore plays an essential role in longevity.
The researchers were even able to analyze the most important influencing factors in detail. Having a purpose in life comes first. Happiness and optimism would also be very important. Social support would be the factor that affects lifespan the least.
How psychological well-being extends lifespan still eludes scientists. Still, Jennifer Boylan thinks what might explain it would be the fact “People who are mentally healthy tend to take better care of themselves by being physically active, sleeping better, and being more committed to preventive healthcare.”.
And then, according to her “Being mentally healthy can help people cope better with stress by reducing harmful physiological responses that accompany it, such as increased heart rate or blood pressure.”.
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Better mental health could add eight years to lifespan
Although they didn’t clearly identify the reasons that explain why good mental health promotes longevity, the researchers managed to define the number of extra years of life of happier, positive people who have a purpose in life and are surrounded by them. When study participants met the four criteria by age 50, well above average, those people lived on average five to eight years longer than average.
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