12 habits of people who look and act younger than their age

Maybe you’ve seen the inspirational meme that goes something like, Life is not about the number of breaths you take, but about the number of moments that take your breath away. Turns out, that may not be just flowery talk – in fact, a July 2022 article in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology cited 2021 research that suggested when we perceive ageing as ‘gain-related’ (in other words, believing that life gets better with age), that perception alone ‘was predictive of longer survival’ when it was compared to average all-cause mortality rates among people who saw ageing as ‘loss-related,’ or negative.

So it’s not just healthy habits that might help you live longer – your spirit toward ageing factors in, too. Here, we share recent years’ research that reveals some unexpected habits of those people who somehow seem to stay forever young.

People who live well-organised lives tend to live longer than less careful types, perhaps because they look after their health better and avoid risky behaviour, concluded the US-based Longevity Project, a landmark eight-decade study.

Check out these things you can organise in under 30 minutes.

Shop regularly and you may live longer, found a 2011 study of around 2000 people over age 65 in Taiwan. The researchers found that men who shopped daily had a 28 per cent lower risk of dying early than those who shopped less often; among women, the risk reduction was 23 per cent. One main takeaway was that getting out in general can help us stay feeling well.

Curry may boost your mental abilities, according to research in Singapore. The researchers looked at the diet of more than 1000 Indian villagers aged 60 to 93 and found that those who ate curry even just twice a year scored better on cognitive performance tests than people who didn’t.

Turmeric, the yellow spice used in most curries, contains the plant chemical curcumin, which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and cholesterol-lowering properties.

Don’t miss these natural remedies that can help slow down ageing.

A US study on 68 older adults revealed that those who joined a choir were in better health, used less medication, were less lonely, and suffered fewer falls after a year than a similar group of non-singers.

This could be due in part to the impact that singing has on breathing, but the emotional benefits of giving voice in a crowd may be just as important. So if you enjoy it, whatever the quality of your voice, try to find the chance to sing communally, whether in a formal choir, at a family singalong, in church or temple, or in a crowd of thousands at a football game.

Discover 21 hidden health benefits music lovers wish you knew.

Search the internet to keep your brain active. In 2008, NBC News reported on a study of participants aged 55 to 76 who carried out a series of web searches. Across the board, they showed increased activity in regions of the brain that control language, reading, memory, and visual ability.

Those who reported that they already used the internet regularly showed a significant boost in the areas that deal with decision-making and complex reasoning.

A 2007 UK study in the Journal of Early Childhood Research revealed multiple benefits to both older and younger generations who played together, including giving you the chance to pass on family values and traditions and to teach practical skills. (Plus? Playing is fun!)

Here are some ways to build your grandkid’s confidence at school and help them succeed.

Researchers from the Longevity Project found that many long-lived, successful professionals worked – at least part-time – well after retirement age.

We’re conditioned to think that working hard can inflict unhealthy levels of stress…but this research suggests that success, even in a demanding job, can enhance wellbeing. So if you’re in good health, you may not want to give up work entirely.

Think positively about your time of life, and you’ll live longer. One US study asked people age 50 and older how they felt about a range of statements designed to assess their outlook on the future. Almost three decades later, follow-up research found that those who viewed ageing in a hopeful way had lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those with a more pessimistic outlook.

One possible reason? You’re more likely to have better coping strategies and be more likely to seek support when you have problems if you try to see your cup as half full, rather than half empty.

Those who can weather what Shakespeare called ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’ are more likely to live to a ripe old age, suggest studies from Harvard University. Psychological hardiness (mental resilience in the face of stress, anxiety and depression) may be crucial for survival, especially as we get older.

Exhausted from living through stressful events? Here are a resilience expert’s tips to stay encouraged.