When you think about ageing, what do you picture?
According to the Guardian, new research suggests that the way you answer that question may have a surprisingly large impact on your future health and wellbeing.
Analysing over a decade of data, scientists from the Yale School of Public Health found that improvements in mental and physical health in later life are not only possible, but common. More striking still, the study found that people with a positive outlook on the ageing process are more likely to see health improvements.
In other words, an optimistic attitude to ageing can help you age better.
Read on to learn more.
Research challenges the idea that ageing means decline
For a study published in Geriatrics, Yale University’s Dr Becca R. Levy and Dr Martin Slade tracked changes in physical function and cognition over a period of up to 12 years within a large cohort of older Americans.
The study showed that around 45% of participants improved either physically (28%) or cognitively (32%), with many recording gains that met or exceeded the threshold for clinical significance.
When those whose cognitive scores remained stable were also included, more than half of the participants challenged the stereotype that cognitive decline is an inevitable part of ageing.
But the most remarkable insight came when the authors examined the reasons behind their findings. The researchers decided to assess whether participants had a positive or negative mindset towards ageing by asking them to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with statements like “The older I get, the more useless I feel”.
The results were striking. The study found that participants with more positive age beliefs were significantly more likely to exhibit improvements in both cognition and walking speed, even after accounting for age, sex, chronic disease, and other variables.
Taken together, these findings suggest that we could have far more influence over the ageing process than conventional wisdom dictates.
Agency over physical health in later life could be greater than previously thought
There’s also a growing body of evidence challenging the idea that longevity is determined primarily by genetics. In fact, a report from the Oxford Longevity Project, written by a panel of experts in ageing, education, medicine, and physiology, has argued that at least 80% of the responsibility for ill health in later years comes down to the individual.
The report claims that major diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, dementia, and auto-immune breakdown, are not primarily caused by genetics or bad luck, but by our own behaviour, lifestyle, and mindset. Consequently, the report recommends a number of ways to take personal responsibility for our health. Most significantly, the report encourages people to “take their S-MEDs”:
- Sleep – Get regular, sustained sleep.
- Mindset – Adopt a positive mindset.
- Exercise – Maintain a daily routine of physical and mental exercise.
- Diet – Follow a vegan(-ish) diet and avoid processed food and alcohol.
- Stress – Reduce all forms of stress.
The report has been challenged in some quarters. According to the Guardian, various scientists have argued that the report avoids engaging with socioeconomic factors that may affect health beyond personal choice, failing to account for economic deprivation, access to healthcare, pollution, and similar systemic issues.
Regardless of exactly where the balance between personal responsibility and external factors lies, it’s clear from both pieces of research that mindset is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal for shaping our health outcomes in old age.
5 simple ways to develop a more positive mindset around ageing
The good news is that a positive attitude towards ageing can be actively cultivated over time. Here are a few practical tips that may help you think about ageing in a more positive way:
1. Find purpose through hobbies, volunteering, and education
Spending your time doing things you find meaningful can be a great way to ensure your life continues to feel satisfying and purposeful, particularly after retirement.
Education can also be powerful. Learning new things (like studying a foreign language or useful skill) can serve as a tangible, first-hand rebuttal of the idea that growth and development are only for young people.
2. Maintain strong social connections
Feelings of isolation can contribute to negative attitudes towards ageing. Staying connected to your friends, family, and the wider community can help to reinforce a sense of purpose and belonging.
3. Reject stereotypes around ageing
Many of us unconsciously absorb assumptions about what older people can and can’t do. These unexamined assumptions may even dissuade us from addressing health issues. For example, we may perceive a stiff back to be a natural part of the ageing process, rather than a treatable health condition.
Questioning assumptions and rejecting stereotypes about what life in old age ought to look like can help to dispel the sense that your options are automatically narrowing as you age.
4. Focus on your gains, not your losses
There’s no doubt that ageing brings challenges, but it’s also a welcome opportunity to reflect on your achievements and the obstacles that you’ve overcome over the course of your life.
Rather than focusing solely on what may have changed or been lost, reframe your thinking around ageing by reflecting on what you may have gained.
5. Continue setting goals
Having goals that you’re working towards can give your life a sense of forward momentum. These goals don’t have to be especially ambitious; they could simply involve domestic projects, travel, personal fitness, and similar pursuits. The most important thing is to maintain a future-oriented mindset, focusing your attention not on your losses, but on what remains possible.
Although none of these steps can guarantee better health outcomes, they may help to foster the kind of positive outlook that research is increasingly associating with healthy ageing.
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Of course, maintaining a positive mindset is only one aspect of preparing for later life. It’s just as important to ensure your finances are in good shape and aligned with the future you want to create. And that’s where Hartsfield comes in.
Please get in touch to find out how our team of VouchedFor Top Rated planners could help today.
Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at individuals only.