How well are you aging? We all too often imprison ourselves in the outcomes of bad thinking and physical habits which interfere with aging well. In an article titled "It's the Little Things" in Time magazine in 2016, Alexandra Sifferlin noted three areas where changes can lead to improved aging and longevity. These are the areas of diet, exercise, and mindset. I will focus on mindset.
We know that our thoughts influence emotions which affect us physically. There is much research about the effects of stress in causing release of stress hormones which trigger negative cardiovascular and other disease states. However, there is also research in the journal Psychology and Aging about the association of negative stereotypes about aging with brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease. In the study noted, twenty-five years after the initial assessment, those individuals with the negative stereotypes had greater loss in hippocampal volume, an area of the brain where neuronal loss is associated with Alzheimer's disease, than persons with more positive views of aging. Also, on brain autopsy, the individuals with negative views of aging had greater buildup of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, markers for Alzheimer's disease. In other research in the journal European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care, it was observed that individuals with negative views of aging had higher risk of heart problems 40 years later compared with people with more positive views of aging.
So what can you do now no matter where you are in terms of age? Other research has indicated that mindfulness meditation (being aware of what you are thinking and feeling in the moment) can reduce stress and slow biological aging. If you want more detail, please read our book on all aspects of stress (I Can't Take it Anymore: How to Manage Stress so It Doesn't Manage You; Paul G. Longobardi, Ph.D., and Janice B. Longobardi, R.N., B.S.N., P.H.N.), availabe on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1542458056 . If you want more information about the book, authors, and stress matters, please see our website at www.manageyourhealthandstress.com . However, for the moment, let's look briefly at three strategies you can use and which will help you:
1. Be aware of your breathing and periodically take a breath, close your eyes, and focus on the present, such as what you hear and feel about you. This will assist in reducing stress and the negative effects on aging even if you don't engage in a complete mindfulness meditation.
2. View stressful events as transitory and interrupt any catastrophizing thoughts such as "I can't stand this (yes you can, you just don't have to like it)", or "I'm getting senile because I can't remember where I put my keys (no you're not, almost everybody has such moments)". This will help you limit your reaction to stressful events, which is good for your emotional and physical health.
3. Maintain or build your social connections. There's good research evidence about the beneficial effects of doing this as we age and not just when we're young.
As the saying goes, aging is not optional but aging well is. Catch yourself when verbalizing negative stereotypes and views of aging and interrupt them. After all, as I always say, Change your thoughts and change your results, including brain aging. Good luck on your journey.
Dr. Paul Longobardi
For information on these and related topics, please see my website at www.successandmindset.com