What Is Your Attitude Toward Aging?
How do you feel about getting old?
This is not a trick question. As it turns out, it is a very important question.
New research finds that our attitude about aging impacts our mind, body, our overall health and our longevity (healthspan).
One study from the Harvard T.H. School of Public Health found that people with the highest level of satisfaction with aging had a 43% lower risk of dying, lower risk of diabetes, stroke, cancer, heart disease, better cognitive function, better sleep, less lonely, more optimistic, had a greater sense of purpose, and were…happier.
I think that about covers it.
Maybe the old adage “you are as old as you feel” needs to be updated to “you are as old as you think”.
Becca Levy of Yale University has spent decades studying aging attitude. Her landmark research shows that people with positive reactions toward aging live, on average, 7.5 years more than those with negative perceptions.
Not supplements, pricey creams or exercise (exercise does help), optimism might be one of the best life hacks for longevity.
As Levy puts it bluntly in her book the Age Code “Age beliefs can act as self-fulfilling prophecies.”
Do you need an attitude adjustment about aging? Many of us do. The experts would suggest the following:
Maintain a sense of purpose.
Stay active.
Be social.
Celebrate your age.
A few years ago I called my brother on his birthday. He had just turned 70. Naturally I asked him in my most sarcastic way, “How does it feel to be old?” He had an interesting response. “I feel proud of my age. Not everyone gets to be this old. I am going to make the most of it.” I loved his attitude, and he is in fact making the most of it. I am now 70, and following his lead. But he is still old…to me.
Enjoy your day,
Just a little extra-
Our aging attitude is a bit of a cultural problem. Aging in the United States occurs against a backdrop of ideologies such as the Protestant Work Ethic and the American Dream, which define worth in terms of active engagement in a career.
Contrast that with many of the Eastern concepts of aging rooted in Buddhism and Taoist traditions. Old age is understood to be a socially valuable part of life. The image of an older person as “sen-nin (wise sage) is common in the culture.
I am not passing judgment, just pointing out the hill we need to climb as we improve our attitude toward aging. We can do this. Getting old(er) can be a wonderful thing. We do need to have the right attitude.
References
Cole, Garry. February 2024. Are We Old Yet? (Yes, I used my book as a reference)
Realo, Anu. September 6, 2025.Why Beliefs About Aging Matter. Psychology Today.
Staff Writer. August 24, 2022. Positive Attitude About Aging Could Boost Health. Harvard T.H. Chan H