"Social media is full of videos and ads offering the latest supplement, diet, exercise routine, mindset change, or health-promoting practice that will lead to a long and healthy life. I can't log in to Instagram without being inundated by (self-proclaimed) experts promising their powerful secrets to better health, greater happiness, and a life free of disease. I just need to sign up and subscribe to their program, purchase their product, or attend their workshop or retreat,"
"Fortunately, there is abundant research on how to grow old well-how to become and remain healthy and happy as we grow older. Studies on healthy aging have been going on for decades, and the findings are clear. In this post, I'll briefly mention the most well-studied factors that influence healthy aging, and then I'll focus on one factor that has been surprisingly overlooked until recently."
Social media promotes numerous supplements, diets, exercises, mindset changes, and programs that promise long, healthy lives. Decades of research identify lifestyle factors—diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol, and obesity—and psychological attributes like purpose, optimism, and gratitude as robust predictors of healthy aging. One often-overlooked factor emerges as the most powerful predictor: social connectedness. Isolation and loneliness undermine physical health, mental health, and resilience. Deepening and nurturing meaningful social relationships yields substantial benefits for longevity and well-being and requires no monetary investment. Prioritizing social ties should be central to strategies for aging well.
Read at Psychology Today
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