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Posted on Sep 25, 2002, 6 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Recent study findings by researchers at Yale University in Connecticut suggest that looking forward to growing old could actually help you to live longer. Results of the 23-year-long study of people aged 50 and over revealed that those who had a positive attitude towards aging lived roughly seven and a half years longer than participants who were dreading reaching their twilight years.
Recent study findings by researchers at Yale University in Connecticut suggest that looking forward to growing old could actually help you to live longer. Results of the 23-year-long study of people aged 50 and over revealed that those who had a positive attitude towards aging lived roughly seven and a half years longer than participants who were dreading reaching their twilight years. The apparent life-extending benefits of a positive attitude remained even after the researchers accounted for other factors that can influence longevity, such as health, gender, and socio-economic status. In comparison, other healthy attributes such as maintaining low blood pressure and cholesterol are thought to extend life by just 4 years.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2002; 83:261-270
