It’s not exercise or food: Here’s what science says about activity that slows aging

There are many research which several experts carry out on a daily basis to discover the ‘secret’ that delays aging and helps people to have a healthy old age. Recently, the results of a research were made known that would reveal what is the key to achieving this.

The study, published in the journal ‘BMJ Mental Health’ and authored by Yitang Zhang, from the Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health at Sun Yat-Sen University, in China, indicates that the ability to cope and adapt well to challenging life circumstances and events in old age is linked to a lower risk of death.

The results of the research mention the importance of strengthening mental resilience to achieve healthy old age, as this also delays aging.

Research evidence suggests that mental resilience is a dynamic and active process influenced by a variety of factors, including gender, hormones, and genes that regulate the body’s response to stress.

Researchers at Sun Yat-Sen University mention that the ability to have mental resilience is evolutionary and varies throughout different periods of the life cycle.

Experts say that in old age or older, good coping skills can help offset the negative impact of chronic diseases and subsequent disability.

Similarly, researchers explain that, just as there is a physical ability to recover from an illness, mental trauma is associated with accelerated aging, increasing stress and anxiety levels that can affect different body systems.

To achieve their results, the researchers analyzed data from the American Health and Retirement Study, which conducted a long-term, representative study of the mental health of American adults aged at least 50.

This study began in 1992 and includes information on the economic, health, marital and family status of the participants, who are monitored every 2 years.

Mental resilience was assessed using a validated scale covering qualities such as perseverance, calm, sense of purpose, self-confidence and recognition that certain experiences must be faced alone.

Experts say participants were followed until death or until the end of May 2021, whichever came first. During an average follow-up period of 12 years, 3,489 people died.

“A number of factors, including meaning in life, positive emotions, self-rated health, and satisfaction with social support, have been identified as potential influences on psychological resilience,” the researchers explain. “Arousing these positive emotions may enhance the protective effects of psychological resilience and mitigate the negative impact of accumulated adversity on the mental health of adults,” the publication says.

“The findings underscore the potential efficacy of interventions aimed at promoting psychological resilience in mitigating mortality risks,” the experts conclude.