3 Lifestyle Aspects They Have in Common

Past research has shown that SuperAgers have more gray matter, essential tissue that aids in day by day functions, of their brains. For this study, researchers selected 55 cognitively healthy participants aged 79 years or older, plus 64 SuperAgers (including 38 women and 26 men over 81 years of age) based on their scores on the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test, a memory test that evaluates learning abilities.

“The study compared SuperAgers with typical folks, each of their 80s, so as to understand which differences in lifestyle, clinical aspects, and brain structure exist between them,” says Diogo Barardo, PhD, from Novos, a long life solutions company. “This could be a start line to explore if any, or a mixture of those differences, is ‘causal’ in the long run. That’s, if these aspects are the source of the SuperAgers’ superpower of getting almost no memory decline.”

Scientists employed a synthetic intelligence (AI) model to differentiate between SuperAgers and typical older adults. Ultimately, researchers discovered a correlation, or a scientific connection, between SuperAgers and three of the 89 demographic, lifestyle, and clinical predictors scraped by the AI.

First, SuperAgers displayed faster movement speed. “There was no difference in the quantity of exercise, but there might be a difference in the quantity/intensity of physical activities not identified by subjects as exercise per se, equivalent to climbing stairs and gardening, that’s contributing to the difference in movement speed,” says Trinna Cuellar, PhD, head of research and development and vp of biology at Tally Health. SuperAgers were also seen to have higher mental health, and didn’t complain as often about sleep (despite the fact that there was no markable difference in actual sleep duration between SuperAgers and typical folks).

Nevertheless, what this study didn’t find is just as interesting, in line with Dr. Barardo. “There was no gender or genetic difference between the groups,” he says. The AI model also defied earlier research that has showed that those with life partners are more likely to live longer. “No less than on this cohort, SuperAgers were more more likely to be separated and divorced than typical old adults,” says Dr. Barardo.

In fact, like all scientific research, this study had its limitations. “This study is concentrated on associations, aspects roughly common amongst individuals with higher or worse memory, but we will’t say if or how every factor related to memory also biologically improves memory,” says Dr. Cuellar. “It might be a coincidence or causality in the other way, with memory actually influencing those aspects. For instance, does maintaining high movement speed someway support gray matter maintenance, or does higher brain health assist you move more quickly?” The authors also acknowledged that their AI model for this study wasn’t perfect.

Despite the fact that no study is the be-all, end-all—especially on a subject as complicated as aging—that doesn’t mean you possibly can’t take something away here. Dr. Cuellar says that committing to day by day exercise is one among the ways you possibly can take care of your personal longevity. “Commit to not only regular exercise but to creating ‘movement’ a component of your all-around routine,” she says. Try squeezing in brief bursts of activity into your day by day schedule by taking the steps every time possible, doing a quick HIIT workout after a Zoom call, or occurring a brief stroll across the block during lunch.

You can even manage your stress and boost your mental health by keeping a gratitude journal, meditating, and, in fact, nurturing your relationships. “On this study, SuperAgers were more more likely to be divorced, but marital status isn’t an ideal predictor of relationship satisfaction. So don’t be too concerned that SuperAgers were more more likely to be separated or divorced. Your social relationships ought to be whatever makes you happiest because good mental health is one among the SuperAger group’s strongest traits,” says Dr. Cuellar.

Sleep is the ultimate factor. But let’s be honest, not complaining while you’ve had a rough night’s sleep is just about not possible. And as not-so-SuperSleepers (trademark) ourselves, we’re not here to let you know to suck it up. As an alternative, consider following this doctor’s five-step guide to clocking some good shut-eye. And, hey, if tonight’s not a superb one, we are saying F the AI and complain all you should.