Longevity!

July 2nd, 2022| Topic: RaMbLeS | 0

It was Bobby McFerrin who put out “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” in 1988, the first a cappella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Turns out, McFerrin may have been on to something.

Researchers seem to think so. Two sets of them. In the last four months. From either side of the R. Charles in ye olde city of Boston. One dealing with women, the other with men. “Optimism, Lifestyle, and Longevity in a Racially Diverse Cohort of Women,” in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society (by Hayami Koga and others from Harvard’s School of Public Health) and “Optimism, Daily Stressors, and Emotional Well-Being Over Two Decades in a Cohort of Aging Men,” in The Journals of Geronotology (by Lewina Lee and others from Boston University School of Medicine).

Both publications argue that optimism leads to a longer life, with optimists being more likely to make it to the age of 90. Evidence suggests that optimism—the generalized expectation of positive future outcomes—displays a consistent association with improved health outcomes, including exceptional longevity. While a sunny disposition may be genetically influenced, such attitudes can also be cultivated.

Said Koga (whose study tracked 160,000 women for over 25 years):

Of note, exercise has been widely recognized as an important factor for health and studies have shown that regular exercise adds 0.4 to 4.2 years of life when adjusting for confounding risk factors. Thus, our findings suggest the impact of optimism may be comparable to that of exercise.”

Of course, it is well known that psychological stress and distress can trigger a host of physiological changes that are bad for health, and decrease one’s lifespan.

Lee (whose study looked at 250 men over a dozen years) agreed:

Stress is known to have a negative impact on our health.”

And, yup, the positive folks in their study lived longer, too. Thus, optimism is good for soul and body.

But the fact is that, real optimism, aka “hope,” comes only from knowing God and walking with him.

Yes, life is short!

“Make me know, Yahweh, my end
and the extent of my days, what it is;
let me know how fleeting I [am]. …
Surely a person goes about as a shadow;
surely [for a] breath they make an uproar;
He heaps up [riches] and does not know who will gather them.
And now, for what do I wait, Lord?
My hope, it is in You.”
Psalm 39:4, 6–7

But God is trustworthy!

Only for God wait in silence, my soul,
for from Him is my hope.
Only He is my rock and my deliverance;
my stronghold: I shall not be shaken.
Upon God [is] my deliverance and my honor;
the rock of my strength, my refuge [is] in God.
Trust in Him at all times, people;
pour out your heart before His face;
God [is] a refuge for us.
Psalm 62:5–8

He alone, and nothing else, can give hope:

The king is not delivered by a great army;
a warrior is not rescued by great strength.
Behold, the eye of Yahweh [is] on those who fear Him,
on those who hope for His lovingkindness,
to rescue their soul from death
and to preserve them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for Yahweh;
our help and our shield is He.
For our heart rejoices in Him,
for in His holy name we trust.
Let Your lovingkindness, Yahweh, be upon us,
even as we hope in You.
Psalm 33:16, 18–22

Be hopeful. Be happy. Be healthy. Live long!

SOURCES:
Journal of the American Geriatric Society; The Journals of Geronotology; StudyFinds