Research: Feeling younger than your age might help you live longer

Research: Feeling younger than your age might help you live longer

Someone once said: "Long life is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world". It seems these researches have found the recipe for obtaining a long life. 

Elderly couple
Elderly couple/ iStock

Life is a blessing and many of us would love to know the secret to living longer. 

Apart from healthy eating and exercise, it seems researchers have found another way to ensure that your life is not cut short.

According to a researchers in Germany, those who feel younger might live longer. 

READ: 101-year-old woman shares secret to living longer

"Individuals who feel younger than they chronologically are seem to benefit from their younger subjective age in various aspects," explained the study. 

It also revealed that those who are above 40 but feel younger than they chronically are have a greater sense of well-being and better cognitive functioning. 

Those who feel younger might engage in fun, adventurous activities that their peers might not. 

READ: Why do women live longer than men?

The three-year-study was done on 5,039 participants from Germany who are above the age of 40. 

According to the study, stress plays a vital role in how people age. 

Feeling younger seems to create a protective force field against stress. 

“Our findings support the role of stress as a risk factor for functional health decline, particularly among older individuals, as well as the health-supporting and stress-buffering role of a younger subjective age,” said Markus Wettstein, PhD, Study Lead Author, University of Heidelberg. 

READ: Good Morning Angels: Helping four-year-old Leo-Nardo live a longer life

Image courtesy of iStock/ @Paperkites

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