People are forever searching for ways to live healthier and longer lives. Researchers have found that increased life satisfaction decreases mortality. Chapman University reported, life satisfaction has been found to be associated with mortality risk in older adults. The researchers have found that greater life satisfaction in adults who are older than 50 years of age is associated with a decreased risk of mortality.
It was also observed by the researchers that variability in life satisfaction seen across time increases the risk of mortality, but only among people who are less satisfied. Life satisfaction is often considered to be relatively consistent across time. However, life satisfaction may change due to dramatic life circumstances such as unemployment or divorce.
Dr. Julia Boehm, an assistant professor of psychology at Chapman University, says some people may more easily adapt to new situations and therefore appear to have relatively stable life satisfaction. Other people may not adapt very quickly. When there are repeatedly distressing life events which lower life satisfaction then fluctuations seen in lower levels of life satisfaction appear to be particularly harmful for longevity.
The researchers said that over the course of the study as participants’ life satisfaction increased the risk of mortality was decreased by 18 percent. Greater variability in life satisfaction was found to be associated with a 20 percent increased risk of mortality. It was however noted that people with high levels of life satisfaction generally had lower risk of mortality regardless of how their life satisfaction varied over time.
This study has been published in the journal Psychological Science. Researchers have found increased life satisfaction is associated with improved longevity. The finding that life satisfaction is relevant for mortality risk among older adults should be kept in mind when counseling these people about their health. Along with healthy lifestyle variables such as good nutrition and frequent exercise it should be emphasized that finding life satisfaction may really help people live longer.
