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Although it's not clear why, believing there is a reason you are here on Earth lowers your risk of death and your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to researchers from the Mt. Sinai St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, New York. The study: Led by Dr. Randy Cohen and Dr. Alan Rozanski, the team analyzed combined data from 10 previous studies that evaluated the relationship between purpose in life and the risk of death or cardiovascular disease. This meta-analysis included data on more than 136,000 participants, primarily from the United States or Japan. The American studies evaluated a sense of purpose or meaning in life, or "usefulness to others." The Japanese studies assessed the concept of ikigai, translated as "a life worth living." The study participants, whose average age was 67, were followed for an average of seven years. During this time, more than 14,500 participants died from any cause while more than 4,000 suffered cardiovascular events, which include a heart attack or stroke. The results: The analysis showed a 20 percent lower risk of death for participants with a high sense of purpose in life or ikigai, which is expressed by a sense of vitality, motivation and resilience. This held even after adjusting for other factors. A higher sense of purpose in life was also related to a lower risk of cardiovascular events. Both associations remained significant on analysis of various subgroups, including country, how purpose in life was measured and whether the studies included participants with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Why does a sense of purpose appear to extend longevity? Do note that the study did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between the two, but the Mt. Sinai researchers think having a purpose in life can help buffer bodily responses to stress that can lead to cardiovascular disease. The study findings were published in the Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, the official journal of the American Psychosomatic Society. --From the Editors at Netscape |
Those who have a higher sense of purpose in life and believe their lives are useful appear to live longer.
