Enjoying retirement is the secret to a long life
A new study published in the British Medical Journal has discovered a link between years of enjoyment in older age and increased life expectancy.
Researchers behind the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) at University College, London, followed more than 9,000 over-50s (with an average age of 63) and found those with the most satisfaction in life were more likely to live longer.
The paper contradicts earlier findings from last year which found no link between life satisfaction and longevity. “Happiness and unhappiness do not themselves have any direct effect on death rates,” concluded Sir Richard Peto of the University of Oxford.
However, Director of the ELSA, Professor Andrew Steptoe, argues these new findings are more accurate given they track satisfaction over a number of years, rather than just at one specific time and which “used a very basic measure of happiness”.
Asked to self-assess their level of happiness at three points within a six-year period, around a quarter of participants in the study reported “no high levels of enjoyment of life” each time. One in five only reported enjoyment in one assessment, 22 per cent in two assessments and over a third in all three assessments.
During the six year period studied, 1,310 participants died, and researchers found that those who reported high levels of enjoyment in all three assessments experienced a 24 per cent lower risk of early death, and 17 per cent lower risk among those who reported enjoyment in two assessments.
“It’s good news that maintaining a positive outlook can help us live longer, but it's sad that this report shows nearly a quarter of older people feel they have no enjoyment in their day to day life,” Charity Director at Age UK, Caroline Abrahams, told the Independent. “We know that a chronic lack of social care support is making life a misery for millions of older people […] These issues have a major impact on people’s life expectancy as well as their happiness.”
Tell us in the comments below, do you think you’re happier over-60 than you were in your younger years?
Related links:
Why too much relaxation in old age can be a bad thing
The everyday diet to defeat dementia
Looking on the bright side can lead to longer life