LIFE AT THE PARTY

The secret that keeps the superagers so sprightly could be socialising

- by IAN TAYLOR

It's funny how often health advice can sound like a barrage of thinly veiled insults. “That’s enough alcohol for you.” “Perhaps you should aim for fewer calories.” And my personal favourite as a hermit writer: “You need to get out more.”

You hear all three around this time of year, as Christmas parties and family get-togethers raise our festive spirits in more ways than one. But there's something about party season that can be very good for you indeed: mingling, mixing, healthy hobnobbing. Saying yes to all those invitations might put you at an advantage later in life (so long as you don't go crazy at the bar or the buffet, of course).

Research into a group of people that scientists call 'superagers' has found that those of us who show signs of extroversion, or who are more engaged in social activities and value interpersonal relationships, may live longer. Not only that, their brains stay sharper for longer, often reporting memory scores equal to people 20 or 30 years younger.