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Feeling younger could help reduce health decline in aging adults
May 25, 2021
- A new study has shown that feeling younger than your chronological age could promote a greater sense of well-being.
- According to data from the American Psychological Association, feeling young minimizes perceived stress—a phenomenon well-known to impact functional health.
- Researchers of the study, therefore, advocate promoting a culture of aging positivity to promote longevity.
A study carried out by the American Psychological Association has shown that individuals who feel younger tend to have a greater sense of well-being, enhanced cognitive functioning, reduced inflammation, and a much lower risk of hospitalization. They’ve also been reported to live longer than their peers that feel significantly older.
According to the study published in the journal—Psychology and Aging—youthful exuberance could help cushion aging adults from the harmful effects of stress.
Spearheaded by a team of researchers from the German Centre of Gerontology, the group analyzed three years’ worth of data collected from 5,039 participants provided by the German Aging Survey—a survey that recorded data and information from German residents aged 40 and older.
The survey was composed of questions that explored the amount of perceived stress in aging adults with correlation to their functional health. It also studied how much they were limited in terms of day-to-day activities such as dressing, walking, and bathing.
Participants also recorded their perceived age when they were asked how old they felt as compared to how old they chronologically were.
Once the study was complete, the team discovered that, on average, participants who reported feeling a greater sense of stress in their lives experienced a steeper decline in functional health over the course of three years. Additionally, the link between perceived stress and functional health deterioration was stronger for chronologically older participants.
Interestingly, subjective age seemed to induce somewhat of an enhanced barrier to these harmful effects. For the participants that felt younger than their actual age, the link between perceived stress and functional health was much weaker. This protective essence seemed to be more enhanced in older participants that felt much younger.
This is what lead author of the study—Markus Wettstein, PHD, University of Heidelberg—had to say about the data:
“Generally, we know that functional health declines with advancing age, but we also know that these age-related functional health trajectories are remarkably varied. As a result, some individuals enter old age and very old age with quite good and intact health resources, whereas others experience a pronounced decline in functional health, which might even result in need for long-term care. Our findings support the role of stress as a risk factor for functional health decline, particularly among older individuals, as well as the health-supporting and stress-buffering role of a younger subjective age.”
These findings support the objective that making aging adults feel younger than their actual chronological age could greatly reduce perceived stress and improve overall functional health. However, further study is required to determine what appropriate interventions need to be undertaken to yield the best outcomes.
One method that Wettstein champions is introducing messaging campaigns that counteract aging stereotypes and promote positivity about aging which will make individuals feel younger.
Wettstein also notes that introducing stress-reduction interventions such as training to reduce stress could prevent loss of functional health in aging adults.
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