Mental health as a strong sense of meaning in your life can be an anti-aging technique. Seniors ages 70 to 78 were asked how useful they felt to others. The more useful they felt, the lower their age-related disability and mortality over a 7-year period. This was true even after health status, age and other factors were considered.
Be useful
Volunteering is one of the best ways to feel more useful. Find an organization that needs volunteers, or just volunteer to help out a family member or neighbor. Other great ways of being useful are tutoring, mentoring younger people, giving advice based on your experience and teaching your skills, such as cooking or woodworking. Whatever you do, find a way to get involved and feel more useful.Source: Tara L. Gruenewald, Arun S. Karlamangla, Gail A. Greendale, Burton H. Singer, and Teresa E. Seeman. Feelings of Usefulness to Others, Disability, and Mortality in Older Adults: The MacArthur Study of Successful Aging. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2007 62: P28-P37.
