People in "Blue Zones" live remarkably long and healthy lives. Researchers are trying to understand why. One idea is that their personalities might play a role.
Personality Traits of Super-Agers
Researchers from Italy's Cagliari University studied people in Sardinia, a Blue Zone known for its many residents aged 90 and older. They compared these "super-agers" to older adults in a nearby rural area.
The study looked at 125 adults, aged 71 to 101. They focused on the "Big Five" personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
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Start Your News DetoxThe study found that super-agers showed higher levels of openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness. These traits were linked to better psychological well-being and more leisure activities. Neuroticism, however, was negatively linked to quality of life.
Super-agers also had higher levels of curiosity and were better at understanding and sharing their emotions. They spent more time on mentally and physically stimulating activities. This suggests that a combination of adaptive personality traits and coping skills helps them age successfully.
Health Perception and Coping
The researchers noted that people in the Blue Zone had more effective coping strategies and greater emotional competence. They were also more involved in activities that stimulated their minds and bodies.
While personality traits are important, the study also found that how people perceive their health might be influenced more by their ability to manage stress. The perceived ability to handle stress was more critical for subjective health than personality traits themselves.
The study suggests that super-agers might be in a "chicken-or-egg" situation. It's unclear if their positive outlook influences their health, or if their good health leads to a positive outlook.
More research is needed, with larger groups and objective health measures. However, the findings suggest that staying positive and active can contribute to a healthier life in older age.
Super-agers share traits linked to living healthier for longer - International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology
