Advertisement

How Your Hobby Adds Years to Life

The more you feeling like your life is building towards something, the longer you live, so says a new study. Image via Shutterstock

If you find yourself drifting through life, you may end up at a very clear destination: an early grave.

New research published in Psychological Science found that people who report having a strong purpose in life tend to live longer than their flighty peers.

The scientists asked more than 6,000 adults questions that gauged whether or not they felt like their life had direction. The people who reported a greater purpose had a 15 per cent lower risk of death during the 14-year follow-up than those who reported that they aimlessly wandered through life.

MORE: 15 ways to stay motivated

What’s more, the researchers found that maintaining a strong purpose was just as beneficial for younger people as it was for older ones. That’s why it’s important to establish a direction in life as early as possible, they say.

While the researchers need to conduct future studies to determine exactly why having a purpose may add years to your life, Dr Susan Biali, a life coach and author of Live a Life You Love, believes it may have something to do with your brain. When we pursue something that we love and we follow through with it, it makes us feel good, she says. “That releases chemicals in your brain which are known to boost your immune system, keep your heart healthy, and decrease stress hormones.”

Now, you don’t need to sit down and chart a plan for the rest of your years. Simply find something that’s meaningful or exciting to you and put your efforts behind that. It should reflect who you are as a person, not just something that you think you should focus on, or what others say you should do, says Dr Biali.

Once you’ve figured out what makes you tick, don’t go full steam ahead or you’ll burn out. Instead, come up with five small goals regarding it that you want to achieve within the next year, Dr Biali recommends. Then add your passion gradually into your life. For instance, if it’s music, set aside a couple hours each weekend to play off the rust from your guitar. Even small ways of integrating meaningful goals in your life can help boost your satisfaction and give you purpose, she says.

GALLERY: Harness the power of your mind to stay off the lounge