What is a superager and can you become one?

In a relatively new field, researchers are studying the factors that contribute to people in their 80s and 90s having stronger brain power than their peers. Many are wondering if these findings could be boiled down to a longevity routine or a pill that would help everyone become old. Is it possible to increase your chances of becoming old?

“We are not destined to become disabled and diseased as we age,” says Dr. Sophia Millman, director of human longevity studies at the Einstein Institute for Research on Aging and lead investigator of the study. “What we learn from these unique individuals is that it is biologically plausible to live long, healthy lives.” Family study of the elderly“Once we know what causes longevity, and that it’s not a disease, then we can create treatments that will enhance biological longevity, and ultimately, that’s the goal of what we’re doing.”

What is SuperAger?

There is no single definition of SuperAger.

According to Family study of the elderly Funded by the American Federation for Aging Research, anyone over the age of 95 with healthy cognitive capacity and the ability to consent to the study is considered an older adult. Researchers at Northwestern University’s Super Aging Research Initiative Older adults can be defined as anyone in their 80s or 90s who has the brain capacity of someone in their 50s or 60s as measured by cognitive tests. Older adults’ brains shrink at a slower rate than the average aging brain. People in this category may also have biological signs of cognitive decline but are able to withstand actual cognitive changes, Millman says.

However you characterize them, Millman says the number of super-seniors worldwide is relatively small, making it difficult to reliably determine their lifestyle and genetic contributions to healthy brain lifespan.

“A lot of research suggests that these people who reach these exceptional ages may have some genetic predisposition to becoming old, and we learned that because there is a strong family history of longevity in these individuals,” says Millman, citing animal studies that have identified longevity genes including APoE2.

However, what we do know is that while there is no magic pill today, lifestyle factors are the most surefire way to extend your brain lifespan and increase your chances of becoming a senior citizen.

How to Increase Your Chances of Becoming a Senior

Improve your lifestyle with Healthy habits

While there is not enough evidence to say that older adults adhere to a specific number of lifestyle habits more than their peers, there is previous research that confirms how healthy habits protect the brain from cognitive decline.

“We have enough evidence at this point that a healthy lifestyle, such as getting enough sleep, avoiding excessive alcohol, avoiding smoking, and exercising, is good for you and can extend the period of time that you are disease-free and can extend someone’s life,” says Millman.

• Make moving your body a priority to improve blood flow to the brain and keep your memory strong.
• Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night to restore brain function and stay alert.
• Eat whole foods and limit highly processed foods, which can lead to inflammation in the brain and impair memory.

Take up a new hobby

Learning new things to make more neural connections can keep your brain active and improve executive functioning. “Learning a new language or a new musical instrument is so challenging that it forces your brain to change,” neuroscientist Dr. Tara Swart previously said. luck.

In 2016 New York Times Editorial, Lisa Feldman Barrettgeriatric researcher and author of How Emotions Are Formed: The Secret Life of the BrainThe researchers said that trying new and challenging tasks could help strengthen the areas of the brain responsible for processing emotions and storing memories, mimicking those found in older adults.

So consider setting aside time each week to exercise your mind by trying a new game, hobby, or craft.

see the glass as half full

Preliminary research points to key personality traits of super-aging people, including being positive and adaptable, according to Millman.

“It has been said that older people are more positive and have a more positive outlook on life,” says Millman. “I think that in some ways may be synonymous with being more resilient and able to overcome adversity while maintaining a positive outlook.”

The same results were found in the SuperAgers study conducted by Northwestern University.

“We see that older adults tend to be resilient and adaptable, so being open to new opportunities is a theme that seems to run through this group,” Dr. Emily Rogalski, director of Northwestern’s Superaging Research Initiative, said earlier. luck.

Complementary research suggests that people who think positively about aging tend to have lower stress and a lower risk of chronic diseases, including dementia.

People of any age can embrace challenges and recognize that change and adaptability will serve them well in the future. They can also view aging as a gift, focusing on the positive attributes that come with age, such as wisdom, self-awareness, and a broader perspective.

Promote a strong social network

According to “the part of the brain responsible for social processing and awareness is larger in older adults.” Northwestern Medicine.

“Social media tends to protect people from cognitive decline,” says Millman.

This is true because loneliness and lack of strong social connections are increasingly a major factor in reducing the health spans of older people, including their brains. Social isolation increases the risk of dementia by 50%.

Whether it’s genetics, lifestyle, a combination of the two, or a little luck, seniors are right, and there’s a lot we’ll continue to learn from them in their quest for longevity.

“The rest of us can still maximize our health span, or the length of our good health, by making these healthy lifestyle choices,” says Millman.

To learn more about healthy aging: