How willpower helps slow down aging

Many people wish to look younger, feel stronger, and stay healthier as they age. Surprisingly, this doesn’t need special substances like in movies with Demi Moore. Learning to control emotions can help slow down aging.

A study from the U.S., the Netherlands, and New Zealand shows the link between self-control and longer life. The research was published in the journal PNAS.

Over 50 years, scientists watched 1,037 people born in New Zealand in 1972 and 1973. They interviewed friends, family, teachers, and coworkers. They checked IQ, happiness, personality, skin health, and even walking speed.

The results show that self-control is key to living longer. People who are calm and don’t get easily upset tend to:

manage money better;

handle stress at work and in daily life more easily;

plan ahead and face fewer crises;

get sick less often and look younger than impulsive peers.

“Self-control is a big part of healthy aging,” says psychologist Lee Richmond-Rakerd, one of the study’s authors.

Elena Antonova agrees with these findings. She thinks self-control is essential for good health.

There is a theory by Hans Selye, an endocrinologist, that divides stress into two types. Good stress, called eustress, can add years to life. Bad stress, called distress, wears out the adrenal glands. It can damage blood vessels and speed up aging.

The study’s authors believe that self-control can be learned even if someone didn’t have it growing up. Like training a muscle, the more you practice staying calm, the stronger it gets.

As adults, it’s still possible to build a healthier and more stable life. Even if you didn’t make many plans when you were young, you can start now. Strengthening self-control can help you age better and stay healthier longer.

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