"While it’s nearly impossible to avoid the inevitable loss of physical function that accompanies aging, a study out of the Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care at University College London suggests that seniors who enjoy life enjoy improved mobility and live longer than their more sour peers. While happiness itself does not enhance or preserve one’s physical capabilities, happier people do tend to be healthier and more active, which in turn is linked to increased mobility, even in old age. Though the reverse is also true (healthier people also tend to be happier), scientists say that’s not the explanation. The happiness factor is important, regardless of health. “We have previously shown that positive well-being and enjoyment of life are predictors of longer life,” said study author Andrew Steptoe. “Older people who report greater enjoyment are less likely to die over the next five to eight years than those with lower enjoyment of life.”"
- National Monitor, 21 January 2014
I took a long walk on this driftwood strewn beach near Olympic National Park in Washington. Marvelous!
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