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There’s no denying the powerful link between the mind and body. Our mental health and physical health are intertwined in an incredible and awe-inspiring manner. Emerging research continues to confirm how our thoughts and our emotions create tangible changes to our bodies.
Past studies have shown meditation, forgiveness, and gratitude are linked to good health. Previous research has revealed that happy people live longer. Now, A new study published in The Lancet, reports that having a sense of meaning and purpose may also increase your lifespan.
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Research Findings
Researchers from University College London, Princeton University, and Stony Brook University examined the link between wellbeing and longevity. They reviewed data on three types of wellbeing:
1. Evaluative wellbeing – evaluations of how satisfied people are with their lives
2. Hedonic wellbeing – feelings or moods such as happiness, sadness, and anger
3. Eudemonic wellbeing – judgments about the meaning and purpose of life
The study specifically focused on eudemonic wellbeing. People who felt the highest sense of control and believed their lives were worthwhile were 30% less likely to die during the 8 year study period. On average, people with the highest wellbeing lived two years longer than people with a lower sense of wellbeing.
Researchers suggest that having a sense of purpose may increase mental health and physical health in several ways. Positive wellbeing is linked to lower cortisol output – which plays a role in lipid metabolism, immune regulation, brain function, and bone calcification. Positive feelings have also been associated with reduced inflammatory and cardiovascular response to stress.
Life Satisfaction and Age
Our life satisfaction tends to fluctuate throughout the phases of our lives. Although there are common trends in life satisfaction across the lifespan, those trends are different throughout various areas of the world.
In high-income English-speaking countries, satisfaction dips in middle age and then rises again in old age. Researchers suggest this dip in life satisfaction occurs because middle-aged people are at the peak of their careers. During the height of their earning potential, middle-aged people are more likely to devote longer hours to work in an effort to save for retirement. The increased devotion to their careers decreases their life satisfaction.
In other regions – the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean – life satisfaction steadily declines with age. People in these areas tend to experience a rise in worry and physical pain as they grow older. Their happiness decreases, but their anger and stress also decrease over time. The decline in life satisfaction is largely linked to the fact that older people in these regions are relatively disadvantaged compared to their younger counterparts.
Although the researchers are careful to point out this study doesn’t prove causation, it does show correlation. People who are physically healthy are more likely to stay active and enjoy a higher sense of wellbeing. And a high sense of well-being is linked to decreased risk of health impairments.
What Can We Learn From this Study?
This research provides us with several gentle reminders. First, working such long hours that our health becomes impaired – during any phase of our lives – isn’t worth it. Reducing our sleep, eating too much fast food, and ignoring our stress in an effort to earn more money could impair our physical health permanently. Those health impairments may decrease our ability to remain active later in life, which can lead to a lower sense of wellbeing.
Second, we need a reason to get out of bed every day and we need to feel as though we matter at all stages of our lives. It’s essential to have a sense of meaning and purpose outside of our careers. If our sole sense of identity is linked to “what we do” instead of “who we are” we may lack purpose during retirement .
Finally, it’s important to take a step back and look at the big picture sometimes. The daily grind often keeps our focus on productivity rather than a higher sense of purpose. Asking ourselves, "When I'm 80 years old and I look back over my life, what will help me feel satisfied?" can help us keep the big picture in mind.
Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and the author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, a forthcoming book based on her viral article.
