The saying “you’re only as old as you feel” is supported by new epidemiological research. Scientists in London enrolled 6,000 older people a decade ago and tracked their attitudes and activities.
People who reported feeling younger than their chronological age were more likely to survive and were in better health after eight years. Perhaps this is the ultimate application for “mind over matter.”
About two-thirds of those in the study felt at least three years younger than their actual ages.
[JAMA Internal Medicine, online Dec. 15, 2014]
There are no guidelines on how to keep feeling young, but staying physically active and socially engaged can go a long way toward this goal.
