Happiness Considered An Upside To Getting Older

Medical Celia Hoffman
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Obviously, as you age, your physical health is bound to decline and unfortunately, your cognitive skills such as your ability to remember things and learn new skills are very likely to suffer too.

However, even amidst such downsides, there are upsides to getting older. According to a recent research that involved over 1,500 San Diego residents, your overall mental health does not depreciate until the very end of life. In fact, it will always continue to improve. This includes your ability to handle stress, your mood and your sense of well-being.

In the survey which had residents aged between 21 and 99 screened, it was discovered that the most stressed out and depressed people were those in their 20s, while those who appeared to be most content were the older people who were basically in their 90s.

From the research, a clear linear relationship between mental health and age was established as there was no tapering off of well-being at the end of life as much as there were no dips in well-being in midlife. The older people simply appeared to be as happy as they were.

According to the senior author of the study, the research results published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology showed a “really striking” level of consistency. He said those who were happier, less depressed, more satisfied, had less perceived stress and less anxiety were people who were in older life.

The findings add to an increasing body of research that reveals the emotional benefits of growing old, says experts on the psychology of aging.

But how can this improvement in emotional well-being exist even amidst the many well-documented losses that occur with age? Asks Laura Carstensen, director of the Stanford Center on Longevity. To her, it is simply “the paradox of aging.”