Living longer may be a matter of what it is you’re living for

Is a “purpose-driven life” apt to be a longer one as well?

That’s what two professors have concluded after reviewing data from a 14-year-old study.

The study of 6,000 people was funded by the National Institute on Aging. Subjects were asked such questions as whether or not they felt like aimless wanderers through life.

Those who thought their lives had purpose and direction were shown to have a 15 percent higher likelihood of survival than those who didn’t. The study also found that having goals in life was more important to longevity than age, gender and feelings of emotional well-being.

The professor who led the study pointed out that a sense of purpose can mean different things to different people. It might mean simply making your family happy. Or it might involve doing something creative that is “appreciated by others.”

How a sense of purpose might help lengthen life is a mystery. One theory is that it offers protection against the effects of stress.

Or perhaps it’s just the idea of having “something to live for” that does it.

Sources:
“People who feel they have a purpose in life live longer” Patti Neighmond, July 28, 2014, NPR, npr.org