IN GRADUATE SCHOOL AT HARVARD, Becca Levy visited Japan and wondered whether the reason people there had the longest life spans in the world might have to do with their more positive beliefs about aging. They treat aging as something vital to enjoy, and even have a holiday whose name translates to Respect for the Aged Day. Americans, meanwhile, have a diet of TV shows and memes that link aging with uselessness, weakness, and decrepitude. Levy started wondering just how much your beliefs about aging matter in whether your life will be long and healthy.
As a psychology professor at the Yale School of Public Health, she started studying it. What she found surprised even her: People with the most positive perceptions of aging lived an average of seven and a half years longer than those who had more negative beliefs about it. For real: Those who thought about aging in terms of concepts like "vital" and "wise" outlived those who associated it with ideas like "decrepit" or "less useful." This longevity advantage was found even after factoring in the effects of gender, socioeconomic status, age, loneliness, and baseline health.
Other studies of Levy's found that people who had taken in more positive age beliefs from their cultures also performed better physically and mentally. "I think one of the hopeful messages of the research is that ageism can take a toll, but beliefs aren't set in stone." Her team has evidence that age beliefs can be changed. In fact, even ten minutes of exposure to positive or negative messaging can change how older people perform on memory tasks in a lab.
The biological link between your mind and life span may have to do with CRP-a biomarker for stress. People who die earlier tend to have high CRP levels; Levy's research found that people with positive age beliefs tend to have lower levels.
Bu hikaye Men's Health US dergisinin April 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Men's Health US dergisinin April 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Beyond Obesity
Ozempic! AirSculpt! Body positivity! The revolution in how we gain and lose weight and how we think about gaining and losing weight is just beginning.
Are Weight-Loss Drugs Right for You?
If you're thinking about taking anti-obesity drugs, peep this expert-backed* chart to see if you qualify, then make an appointment with your doctor.
6 A.M. With...The CEO of Robinhood
Regular sweat sessions help Vlad Tenev feel confident and in control even when the stock market is all over the place.
"I'm Big and I'm Strong"
These guys have dealt with fatphobia, body shaming, and the pressure to lose weight their entire lives. Here's how they developed a mentally healthy approach to the number on the scale.
JOHN BRZENK IS STILL GOING STRONG
At nearly 60 years old, BRZENK is holding his own at arm wrestling tables the world over. What the hell?
THE BODY BIBLE
THE QUEST TO BUILD THE BODY YOU WANT FEELS NEVER-ENDING. BUT IT'S POSSIBLE, AS LONG AS YOU UNDERSTAND THE EVER-EVOLVING SCIENCE OF TRAINING. OVER THE NEXT 22 PAGES, WE'RE GIVING YOU CUTTING-EDGE TIPS TO TRAIN EVERY MAJOR PART (LEGS, GLUTES, BACK, ABS, CHEST, AND ARMS)-ALL FROM THE FINEST ATHLETES AND TRAINERS ON THE PLANET.
THE NEW (AND OLD!) WEIGHT-LOSS METHODS
There are many ways to lose weight these days. We spoke to four guys about the method they chose, and how it affected their lives.
WHERE HAS YOUR ATTENTION GONE?
If you're feeling distractedstay with me-there are fixes.
WHAT THERAPY TAUGHT ME
How talking to a psychotherapist helped the author and multi-hyphenate superstar understand his past and better navigate the future.
STREEEETCH YOURSELF IN 2024
Stressed about the state of the world and/or your sanity? We've got four tools to help you adapt and succeed over the coming year.