So many people spend their whole life working hard so that they can enjoy life when they retire. And when they retire, they are usually too tired, too sick or too poor to have any fun. Many drop dead soon after retirement because they do not know what to do with themselves without going to work. Scientists now found the proof that people over 50 who know how to enjoy life are three times more likely to live healthy and long life than the boring types. There is no explanation about what the scientists meant by ‘enjoying life.”
Ageing and the art of living
The latest Report of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) by University College London (UCL) shows clearly that enjoying life leads to better health and longevity. This report is part of the eight years long comprehensive study of ageing in England. The study follows more than 10,000 people in England who are 50 years and older. The goal of the study is to understand different concerns of seniors and the effects their ageing has on the social, economic, health and psychological aspects of the society.
One of the most important goals of the study is to find the link between health, longevity and enjoyment of life. Participants in the study evaluated their enjoyment of life on a given scale and the results are compared from one yearly report to another. According to the latest report, almost three times more people who did not think they enjoyed life died between the two reports, than those who evaluated their life enjoyment as high.
Having fun means better health
Study participants who evaluated themselves in the first wave of the data collection as having great level of life enjoyment were three times more likely to be still alive at the fifth wave of the data gathering.
The link between life enjoyment and good health is so strong that the scientists could predict who of the participants was likely to develop heart disease and other health issue between the two data collection waves, and who will still be alive for the next data collection.
Interestingly, the results did not change when scientists took into account the age, ethnicity, gender, wealth, health and education.
What exactly the participating seniors meant when they said that they enjoyed life is not specified and is likely to be different from one person to another. But, whatever it is, they have discovered the secret of good health and long life, and it has nothing to do with how big their pension is.
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