Be Positive and Add 7.5 Years to Your Life

Research shows that how you perceive aging affects how long youwill live.






In a study of 660 people, those with more positiveperceptions of their own aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer.
This effect remained after other factors such as age, gender, income,loneliness and health status were controlled.



Look Forward to Aging While You Are Young:


The study compared death rates of the 660 study participants to their answers to a survey 23 years ago.


Therefore, adjusting your perception of agingwhile you're still young can have a tremendous effect on your lifeexpectancy.


Improving Resiliency:



Noone knows for sure why a positive attitude seems to lead to a longerlife. Researchers believe that positive thinking about aging canincrease a person's will to live, making him or her more resilient toillness and more proactive about health.

Another explanation given wasthat mental stress of aging is lower for people who have a positiveattitude. Positive thinking and stress reduction have also been linked.



Finding Insight as You Age:


What'sso great about aging? Good question.

Our society prizes youth andbeauty above all. Messages about aging tend to emphasize the negativeaspects.

But, like fine wine, people should get better as they age. Experience, combined withmaturity, gives older people great insight. Older people are more intouch with spirituality and the priorities which have true depth.

Byfollowing a simple, healthy lifestyle you can preserve your health andenergy your whole life.


How Positive Attitudes Compare to Other Longevity Boosters:



Hereis a brief list of the number of years that each of these healthfactors are believed to add (remember these numbers are for mortalityand do not consider the quality of life):

• low blood pressure: 4 years
  
• low cholesterol readings: 4 years
  
• healthy weight: 1-3 years
  
• not smoking: 14 years
  
• regular exercise: 1-3 years
  

Source: Levy BR, et al. Longevity increased by positive self-perceptions of aging.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2002 Aug; 83(2):261-70