Updated on January 21, 2022.
Are you making plans? Is there something you're trying to achieve? Does your life have meaning? A resounding yes to these questions could mean you’ll have more time on earth to accomplish things, even if you have health problems or other challenges.
Study after study has linked having a purpose in life to a longer life—and a healthier one. In a group of 1,546 adults with heart disease followed in a 2013 study published in Journal of Behavioral Medicine, those with a sense of purpose were found to have fewer heart attacks over a two-year period. Another study published that year in Journal of Psychosomatic Research followed 6,739 older adults over four years. It found that people with a purpose had fewer strokes than their counterparts.
Other tools for a longer life
Why might a sense of purpose help you stick around longer? It may be because having one can boost your emotional well-being. That, in turn, may lower the risk for chronic disease. Purpose might also help us feel more in control of our health and motivate us to take better care of ourselves.
Stay active, driven, and vital with these additional live-longer habits:
- Take stock. Track these critical numbers to get a clearer picture of your health risks.
- Stand up. Sitting all day may take a bite out of your personal timeline.
- Enjoy. You might live longer if you make more time for fun.
Take the first steps to living longer and healthier with the RealAge Test.
