CHILL out and eat cheese to live longer, say scientists.
A study found working on good mental health helps people to age better.
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Happier, more satisfied people lower their risk of long-term illnesses, it said.
Meanwhile unhappy folk spend an unhealthy amount of time watching television, smoke more and eat worse diets – without enough fresh fruit and cheese, the researchers said – speeding up their decline.
Experts from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China said there is a “close association” between psychological stress and physical illness.
Study author Professor Tiange Wang said: “These findings underscore the importance of mental wellbeing in healthy ageing.”
Read more on mental health
We found a protective impact of mental wellbeing on healthy ageing
Professor Tiange Wang
The research used data from 2.3million across Europe, including the UK.
It compared their scores on life satisfaction, positive outlook, depressive symptoms and neuroticism with health issues linked to ageing.
Worse mental health was linked to higher rates of habits and illnesses known to shorten people’s lives – like too little exercise, heart diseases and breast cancer.
Writing in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, Prof Wang said there was a “causative” link between the mental and physical.
She said: “We found that better mental wellbeing was associated with higher resilience, self-rated health and healthspan.
“Mental health has long been recognised as a fundamental factor in the biological processes of multiple health conditions.
“We unearthed a protective impact of mental wellbeing on healthy ageing, which held regardless of income, education or occupation.”
Mental health linked to physical illness
Researchers said there were 33 factors connecting mental health to physical ageing.
They included smoking, diet, medicine use, fitness, cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, which were worse in unhappy people and aged them faster.
Meanwhile, staying fit and active and eating more fruit and cheese slowed ageing.
About one in six people in England are suffering from poor mental health in any given week.
Depression and anxiety are most common, and figures show millions of older people have worse mental health because they are lonely.
The charity Age UK reckons 1.4million Brits are experiencing loneliness.
Prof Wang added: “Our results underscore the importance of prioritising mental wellbeing in health policies geared towards healthy ageing.
“Interventions could promote healthy lifestyles such as restricting TV watching time, avoiding smoking, enhancing cognitive function and preventing common diseases.”
Tips to age well
There are a number of habits you can take up to care for your health and wellbeing as you age.
Age UK shared the following tips:
- Do things that you enjoy everyday – whether that’s cooking, seeing friends or enjoying a good book
- Stay hydrated – drink six to eight cups of water a day
- Eat plenty of fruit and veggies to lower your risk of heart disease and certain cancers, have beans, pulses, fish, eggs and meat to repair your body after injury, starchy carbs for energy dairy to help keep bones strong
- Manage long-term health conditions to prevent them progressing or having a greater impact on your health
- Quit smoking and reduce alcohol intake to no more than 14 units a week
- Make mental health a priority and get treatment for it, as it can also impact physical health
- Make sure you’re getting quality sleep
- Keep socialising – and call a friend or loved one if you can’t make it out the house
- Be physically active to lower the risk of depression and dementia, heart disease, stroke, Parkinson’s and some cancers
