The Power of Mindset: What you THINK about aging will determine HOW you age!

What if the way we think about aging is more powerful than the process itself?

Researchers Ellen Langer of Harvard University, David Snowdon, Former Professor of Neurology at the University of Kentucky, and Yale Professor Becca Levy, have spent their careers studying what facilitates positive aging.

Much of their conclusions about aging have to do with mindset.

In 1979, Ellen Langer, conducted a groundbreaking experiment known as the Counterclockwise study. A group of elderly men in their 70s and 80s was invited to live for a week in an environment designed to replicate the world of 20 years earlier (1959). The retreat setting was meticulously crafted to immerse these men in a world that mirrored their younger selves. They were surrounded by décor, magazines, and music from 1959.

The key requirement ?of the men was that they not only live as though it was 1959 but act as if they were 20 years younger.

After just one week, they experienced significant improvements in physical strength, posture, flexibility, and cognitive abilities. Even their vision and hearing improved.

Langer’s study demonstrated the powerful connection between mindset and physical health. When the men believed they were younger, their bodies responded accordingly, illustrating how much our perceptions shape reality.

The Nun Study, initiated by Dr. David Snowdon in 1986, followed 678 Roman Catholic nuns, to explore aging and Alzheimer's disease. ?One of the most revealing aspects of the study involved essays the nuns had written in their early 20s, before entering the convent. Those with more optimistic outlooks lived longer and had better cognitive health compared to their less positive peers.

What’s particularly intriguing is that the nuns’ positive emotional disposition as young adults, predicted their longevity decades later.

These findings highlight the significant power of mindset and early life attitudes in shaping our health and longevity.

Levy’s research on age beliefs shows that how we think about aging can literally add or subtract years from our lives. One of her most famous studies found that individuals who hold negative stereotypes about aging lived, on average, 7.5 years less than those who maintained positive age beliefs.

It turns out that associating aging with inevitable decline, actually manifests in worse health and cognitive outcomes.

On the flip side, people who viewed aging as a time for growth, wisdom, and continued engagement, were more likely to live longer, healthier lives!

FRIENDS, MINDSET MATTERS!

Stereotypes about aging don’t just shape society; they shape our individual reality.

As we grow older, maintaining a positive, empowered perspective on aging can profoundly impact our physical and mental well-being.

That’s why, in week two of the Brain Booster Challenge, happening this Wednesday at 12:00 pm EST, in association with our good friend Susan Williams of Booming Encore, we’ll dive deep into the science of how mindset shapes aging.

Be sure to sign up! https://lnkd.in/errpbTXr

To your health and longevity!

Dr. Gill

#HealthyAging #BrainHealth #LifelongLearning #BoomingEncore #retirement #healthspan #longevity #positiveaging?

Gillian Leithman, PhD is the founder of Rewire to Retire a corporate training company that specializes in the design and delivery of pre-retirement planning programs and knowledge sharing initiatives. Find out more at https://www.rewiretoretire.com/?