One looks older than he really is, the other not only looks younger than he is, but feels that way too. We wondered:what can it mean if you feel younger than you are. Does that affect your health?
A large-scale French survey at the University of Montpellier of 17,000 adults found that about 16 percent of participants feel younger than they actually are. It also emerged that they have better health and a high chance of growing older than the other participants.
Another remarkable thing emerged. Those who feel eight, eleven or thirteen years older than they really are are respectively 18, 29 and 25 percent more likely to die earlier.
Read also: ‘Benefits of aging‘
First, those who look younger than they are are likely to make healthier lifestyle choices. They eat healthy, exercise enough, are regularly checked by a doctor and have many social contacts. This can work like a vicious circle:the more you do this, the better you feel.
Second, those who feel younger than they are are better able to meet the challenges of getting older. This results in better physical health and better memory.
But it works both ways. Those who suffer from depression and worry about age-related ailments may feel old faster.
Source:HuffingtonPost
