Advanced Age and Contentment

Several studies of aging and mental health show that happiness and emotional well-being improve over time. As adults age, they exhibit increased emotional control, enabling them to avoid stressful situations and negative experiences.

Speaking at the convention of the American Psychological Association in Toronto, Susan Turk Charles of the University of California, Irvine, remarked that “we know that older people are increasingly aware that the time they have left in life is growing shorter. They want to make the best of it, so they avoid engaging in situations that will make them unhappy.”

While the findings presented at the convention may not apply to aging adults living in stressful situations or those with dementia, the general population may very well enjoy increased happiness with age. Other reports showcased in Toronto also point to the value of strong social connections in overall cognitive health and reduction of stress in older adults.

Exercise to Prevent Cognitive Decline

A number of studies have suggested that engaging in physical exercise helps to ward off cognitive decline as we age. Yonas Geda, from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and colleagues studied 1,324 men and women, aged 70 to 89, who did not have dementia at the study’s start. The subjects completed a physical-exercise questionnaire for a two-year period, after which they were assessed by a medical team and individually classified as having normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment. A total of 198 participants (median age 83) were identified as having mild cognitive impairment, and 1,126 (median age 80) had normal cognition.

Subjects who reported performing moderate exercise—such as brisk walking, aerobics, yoga, strength training or swimming—during midlife or late life were less likely to have mild cognitive impairment. Midlife moderate exercise was associated with a 39 percent reduction in the odds of developing the condition, and moderate exercise in late life was associated with a 32 percent reduction. Neither light exercise (such as bowling, slow dancing or golfing with a cart) nor vigorous exercise (including jogging, skiing and racquetball) were associated with reduced risk for mild cognitive impairment. The researchers conclude that “any frequency of moderate exercise performed in midlife or late life was associated with a reduced odds of having [mild cognitive impairment].”

—Dr. Bob Goldman
www.WorldHealth.net

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