By Julie E 
Photo Credit ( Pixabay )
Two recent research suggest two possible routes to the fountain of youth.
According to studies, older persons feel younger when they have more control over their lives and exercise more, which enhances their longevity, general quality of life, and ability to think clearly.
106 younger persons (years 18 to 36) and 116 older adults (ages 60 to 90) participated in one study. Over the course of nine days, the participants recorded their daily sense of control and age.
The results, which were presented Thursday at the American Psychological Association’s annual meeting in San Francisco, showed a substantial correlation between the older people’ perceived amount of control and their sense of age.
In an APA news release, study presenter Jennifer Bellingtier stated, “Creating a daily environment that gives older adults more control could be a helpful strategy for maintaining a youthful spirit and overall well-being.”
She works at Friedrich Schiller University of Jena in Germany as a postdoctoral researcher.
Bellingtier stated, “Some interventions could be formal, such as a regular meeting with a therapist to discuss ways to respond to situations that they cannot control and how to take control in situations where individuals can directly influence events.”
“Apps for smartphones could be created to provide daily messages that offer ideas for improving control that day and a person’s sense of control in general,” she continued.
Increasing physical exercise can make individuals feel younger, according to the second study, which was also presented at the APA meeting.
59 adults between the ages of 35 and 69 were involved, and their daily step counts were recorded. Those who increased their step counts more felt younger after five weeks.
According to the news release, study presenter Matthew Hughes stated, “Our results suggest that promoting a more active lifestyle may result in a more youthful subjective age.”
Hughes is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro’s Adult Cognition Lab.
“We had a small sample size because this was a pilot study,” he said. “The findings imply that walking might help one feel younger, but more studies with a bigger sample in a more controlled environment are required to confirm.”