Young At Heart? You May Live Longer

First Posted: Dec 16, 2014 09:29 AM EST
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Are you young at heart? Chances are if you actually feel a bit younger than you are, you may live longer, as well.

Recent findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that about 25 percent of people who felt older than their actual age died when compared to about 14 percent who felt younger and another 19 percent who felt their age.

Researchers at the University College London based their findings on data gathered during a long-term study on aging in Britain. Participants were asked "How old do you feel you are?" throughout.

Study results revealed that more than two-thirds of participants felt three or more years younger than their actual age, while another quarter felt their age. Another 5 percent felt older than their true age, with the median age of participants about 66. For those who felt younger than they actually were, their self-perceived age was down to 57.

Study follow-ups showed that over twice as many people who felt older than their actual age died from heart-related illness when compared to the roughly 10 percent who felt younger or the 5 percent who felt just about their actual age.

"We do know that anxiety and poor management of stress can put people at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, while the link between those emotions and cancer is much weaker," said James Maddux, professor emeritus of psychology and senior scholar at the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being at George Mason University, in Fairfax, Va., via Health Day . "It's not a surprise to me that they found this link for cardiovascular disease but not for cancer."

In the future, researchers suggested that it may be a good idea for health care providers to even consider asking seniors how they feel during routine physical exams. Furthermore, they hoped that the pessimists out there were willing to start fresh, turning over a new leave.

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