[LUM#3] Feeling younger to age less quickly

[LUM Magazine] - Published on September 13, 2016 in Science-Society

And you, how old do you think you are? A simple question that provides valuable insights into the evolution of your health...

Read all articles in this issue

Are you over 50 and feel like you're in your forties? That's good news for your brain... Researchers have shown that feeling younger than your age slows down cognitive aging. "There is often a difference between the age on your ID and how old you feel, "explains Yannick Stephan of the Epsylon laboratory. "After the age of 40, we tend to feel younger than our actual age. We call this a rejuvenation bias," says the researcher, who specializes in health and aging psychology.
By studying a group of 1,352 men and women aged 50 to 75, Yannick Stephan found that those who reported feeling younger than their age had better cognitive performance 10 years later. And when you feel older? "Conversely, those who tend to age themselves have a higher than average risk of cognitive decline," replies the researcher.

Personalized prevention

Beyond brain aging, feeling older could have serious consequences for overall health. In a study of 10,000 adults, Yannick Stephan and his colleagues showed that feeling older than one's actual age is associated with a 25% increase in the risk of hospitalization in the coming years, regardless of the cause."Subjective age is a good marker of physical, mental, and biological health," explains the specialist.
In terms of health, perceived age may even be more important than actual age."This information can be obtained by asking a simple question, without blood tests or medical examinations, but it provides valuable insights," says Yannick Stephan, who suggests that subjective age could be incorporated into diagnostic and medical follow-up protocols. Asking people how old they feel would make it possible to identify those who are at greater risk of health problems as they age. "Once identified, these patients could benefit from personalized prevention programs aimed at reducing their tendency to age, based in particular on activities and physical exercise."