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Living Life to The Fullest

In most cases, you are only as old as you feel. Many people are kids at heart, even in their eighties. Interestingly, one study shows that those who feel younger than they really are, live longer.  

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine published a study about people who feel younger than their actual age having reduced mortality rates. This study included 6,500 participants with an average age of 65.8 years. Some researchers analyzed the survival rates of the participants over an eight-year follow-up period. Individuals who felt younger than their actual age had a 13% increase in survival rate over those who feel older, as well as a 5% increase over those who feel their true age.

Why is this? Those who feel younger tend to live a healthier lifestyle, endure less stress, and listen to the medical advice they are provided. In our hectic lives we focus heavily on work and family commitments and never seem to have fun for ourselves. Playing with our friends, partners, children, or even our pets is a sure way to fuel imagination, creativity, problem-solving and emotional well-being.  Here are a few ideas to recapture your sense of play.

• Arts and crafts

• Plan a sleep over

• Plan a picnic

• Karaoke

Play should be a part of everyone’s life. We can all probably use many more joyful experiences. No matter our age.

Source:

Rippon I, Steptoe A. Feeling old vs being old: associations between self-perceived age and mortality. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015; 175 (2): 307-309.

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