With the current economy, BP oil spill and general difficulties in our country it is hard to be anything but a Debbie Downer. It seems, you may find your self much less of a Debbie Downer after age 50.
With this news Eckhart Tolle is writing a new book titled "The Power of Not Yet". And now the meaning of life, the universe, and everything is thought to be 50.
So here is the news for your health:
People get happier as they get older, and happy people are healthier people.
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According to a 2008 telephone survey of 340,000 people: people start out at age 18 feeling pretty good about themselves, and then, apparently, life begins to throw curve balls. They feel worse and worse until they hit 50. At that point, there is a sharp reversal, and people keep getting happier as they age. By the time they are 85, they are even more satisfied with themselves than they were at 18.
In measuring immediate well-being — yesterday’s emotional state — the researchers found that stress declines from age 22 onward, reaching its lowest point at 85. Worry stays fairly steady until 50, then sharply drops off. Anger decreases steadily from 18 on, and sadness rises to a peak at 50, declines to 73, then rises slightly again to 85. Enjoyment and happiness have similar curves: they both decrease gradually until we hit 50, rise steadily for the next 25 years, and then decline very slightly at the end, but they never again reach the low point of our early 50s.
This is great news for me as I am turning 50 in four weeks.
Now, why would you want to be 50 or older? Because happy people are healthier. People who report positive emotions are less likely to catch colds and also less likely to report symptoms when they do get sick.
What can you do to be happier???
Keep in touch with friends. In our society it is far to easy to be socially isolated. Don't use facebook or twitter to catch up with your friends, CALL THEM! Try actually speaking to them, or even better, have a dinner or lunch together.
Get plenty of sunshine. Find ways to add minutes outside to your day. Park farther away from the office or grocery store. Read a book outdoors. Take time to smell the roses.
Have some personal quiet time. Our lives are filled with noise. Set aside some quiet time to relax. Try Yoga or meditation. Get others in your life to understand and respect your quiet time.
Eat a healthy diet. Remember - garbage in garbage out. Your body requires the correct fuel to run efficiently.
Get enough sleep. 7 or more hours a night. If you aren't getting a good nights sleep try to find remedies so you can start getting 7 to 8 hours a night. It really is that important.
Exercise. It helps relieve depression and improves your mood. Try walking, swimming, stretching, just about anything that gets your body moving.
I am painting a couple of Adirondack Chairs light blue and getting ready to sit back and enjoy being 50. My sadness will peak and begin to decline. My worry will rapidly decline and my happiness will kick into overdrive.
Let the good times roll!
I will never be a Debbie Downer again.
brought to you by the :Get Happy - Get Healthy ~ Oldish Broads of America ®
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