Post 50how to live longerSense of PurposeHealth Post50

Sense Of Purpose Adds Years To Your Life, Study Finds

Young Or Old, THIS Is The Key To Living Longer
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What's the key to long life? Is it clean living? Lots of exercise? An abundance of vegetables? Actually, the key to long life may be something a bit more intangible: a sense of purpose.

Researchers studying longevity say those who feel a sense of purpose and direction in life may indeed live longer, no matter what their age.

"Our findings point to the fact that finding a direction for life, and setting overarching goals for what you want to achieve, can help you actually live longer, regardless of when you find your purpose," said lead researcher Patrick Hill of Carleton University in Canada in a written release. "So the earlier someone comes to a direction for life, the earlier these protective effects may be able to occur."

Previous studies have suggested that finding a purpose in life lowers mortality risk above and beyond other factors that are known to predict longevity. But, Hill points out, almost no research evaluated whether the benefits of purpose vary over time, such as across different stages of a person's development.

In their research, published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, Hill and colleagues examined data from more than 6,000 participants over a period of 14 years, focusing on their self-reported purpose in life.

Researchers say those who had died had reported a lower purpose in life and fewer positive relations than had those who had lived. Across the board, a greater purpose in life consistently predicted a lower risk of dying, showing the same benefit for younger, middle-aged and older participants. However, the sooner you discover a sense of direction and purpose, the better.

Researchers said they were surprised by the consistency.

"There are a lot of reasons to believe that being purposeful might help protect older adults more so than younger ones," Hill said. "For instance, adults might need a sense of direction more, after they have left the workplace and lost that source for organizing their daily events. In addition, older adults are more likely to face mortality risks than younger adults.

"To show that purpose predicts longer lives for younger and older adults alike is pretty interesting, and underscores the power of the construct," he explained. "These findings suggest that there's something unique about finding a purpose that seems to be leading to greater longevity."

Previous studies, too, have linked a sense of purpose with a longer lifespan. For example, one study from 2009 found that a person who derives meaning from life's experiences and possesses a sense of direction was about half as likely to die during a five-year follow-up period than a person who lacked a real purpose.

In another study, a sense of purpose was found to help protect the brain against the damage of Alzheimer's disease.

So what do you think? Got purpose?

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Before You Go

11 Easy Ways To Shorten Your Life
1. Make Bad Dietary Choices(01 of11)
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Over the years, there's been a lot of debate related to diet and longevity. But most experts agree that a diet low in sugar and refined carbohydrates is best. And some studies show that eating a traditional Mediterranean diet can add years to your life. (credit:Shutterstock)
2. Never Check Your Cholesterol(02 of11)
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Just like high blood pressure, high cholesterol can also increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Therefore it's a good idea to have your cholesterol checked to see whether you need to undergo certain lifestyle changes or even possibly take some kind of cholesterol-lowering medication. For more information about cholesterol and saturated fats, go here.Eating certain foods, such as beans, which are rich in fiber and antioxidants, can help lower cholesterol. (credit:Getty Images)
3. Mix Alcohol And Prescription Or Illicit Drugs(03 of11)
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Even drinking wine with dinner and then taking prescription sleep aides can be a lethal combination. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study found 5.8 percent of people age 50 to 59 used illicit drugs in 2010, up from 2.7 percent in 2002. (credit:Alamy)
4. Never Check For Diabetes(04 of11)
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The number of Americans with Type 2 diabetes is expected to rise from 30 million today to 46 million by 2030, when one of every four boomers -- 14 million -- will be living with this chronic disease, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Untreated diabetes can lead to blindness, amputations and clogged arteries that can cause heart attacks and strokes. The test to determine whether you are diabetic is a simple blood test; you should remind your doctor to include it in your annual physical. (credit:Alamy)
5. Pack On The Pounds(05 of11)
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More than one out of every three boomers -- more than 21 million -- will be considered obese by 2030. Already, we are the demographic with the highest and fastest-growing rate of obesity. As we age, our metabolism slows down and we burn fewer calories -- if we don't alter our eating and exercise patterns, weight gain is inevitable. Obesity can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and a host of other life-threatening ailments. Losing just 10 percent of your body weight has health benefits, so consider that as a goal. (credit:Alamy)
6. Ignore The Signs Of A Heart Attack(06 of11)
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No chest pain doesn't mean no heart attack. Women having heart attacks frequently report experiencing a feeling of indigestion and extreme fatigue, while some men say they feel a fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of the chest, which may spread to the neck, shoulder or jaw. When a diabetic has a heart attack, the pain is often displaced to other areas such as the lower back. (credit:Alamy)
7. Get Little Sleep(07 of11)
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Try as you might, you just can't stay asleep, right? You pass out before "60 Minutes" is over, but then wake up around midnight and count sheep until the alarm goes off. If that sounds like you, you aren't alone. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that boomers report not getting enough sleep between one and 13 nights each month.Is it life-threatening? In itself, no. But as soon as you slip behind the wheel bleary-eyed, you are putting yourself and others at risk. Your reflexes are slower, you pay less attention and you could become one of the more than 100,000 Americans who fall asleep at the wheel and crash each year. And the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that's a conservative estimate, by the way. Driver fatigue results in an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary losses. (credit:Alamy)
8. Avoid Exercise(08 of11)
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AARP says the minimum you need to stay healthy are muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week, plus 2.5 hours a week of moderate activity like walking or 75 minutes a week of a more intense activity like jogging. Exercise is also good for your memory: Just one year of walking three times a week can increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that's key to memory. (credit:Alamy)
9. Carry The World's Burdens On Your Shoulders(09 of11)
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We're talking about stress with a capital S. Boomers are the sandwich generation, caught in the middle of caring for our parents and our children. We were deeply affected by the recession and boomers have the highest rates of depression by age demographic. Unless we unload, we are going to implode. (credit:Alamy)
10. Carry A Beer Belly And A Caboose(10 of11)
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It isn't just our extra weight; it's where we carry it. An excess of visceral fat causes our abdomens to protrude excessively. We call it a "pot belly" or "beer belly" or if the visceral fat is on our hips and buttocks, we say we are "apple shaped." Cute names aside, scientists now say that body fat, instead of body weight, is the key to evaluating obesity. And guess what? It's all bad. (credit:Alamy)
11. Continue To Smoke(11 of11)
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Gallup found that baby boomers between the ages of 44 and 54 reported higher levels of smoking than those immediately younger or those who are older. Hard to imagine that they haven't gotten the word yet about the risks cigarettes carry. (credit:Alamy)
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