According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of 100-year-olds will increase significantly by 2050. The study looked at what characteristics these people have and what might indicate how to stay healthy and happy in old age.
Exercise, healthy food or rejuvenating treatments – there are many ways to a long life. In 2023, the research team of psychologist Dolores Merino from the Complutense University of Madrid published a study in the Journal of Happiness Studies that presented 8 personality traits of people over 100 years old. They conducted detailed interviews with 19 people between the ages of 100 and 107.
Vitality in everyday life
Centenarians they lived actively and showed a strong will to engage in daily activities. “They were closely related to life,” the researchers report. Many worked even after retirement and moved regularly. One 100-year-old woman said she always took the stairs up to keep her legs in shape, even though she used the elevator downstairs. All respondents were also mentally busy – they solved crosswords, played cards or were active in reading groups.
The joy of human contact and devotion
Social interaction is another key factor in a long life. It doesn’t matter if it’s friends or family, it’s the reciprocity that matters. People with a strong social background get help faster and are willing to help without expecting anything in return. Those who fulfill their roles with dedication – whether at work, hobbies or childcare – age better. It doesn’t matter if they worked as a cleaner, a professor or a sheep herder. It is important to feel responsibility and duty.
A sense of control, according to researchers, keeps you young. Centenarians they believed that they could influence the course of their lives in their favor, even when faced with adverse circumstances. They acted autonomously and saw how their decisions affected their lives. This approach accompanies pragmatism – adapting to the situation and looking for the best possible way.
Maintaining curiosity strengthens the mind in old age. All respondents expressed a desire to keep their brain in shape. Researchers talk about the “joy of constantly learning new things”. Many read daily, others played cards, solved crossword puzzles, followed political events or traveled regularly. One 100-year-old woman only started traveling in her 80s, visiting Paris, Rome, Berlin, Brussels, Warsaw, Jerusalem and Turkey.
Positive attitude and resilience
The sixth quality is a positive attitude towards life. Not necessarily optimism or joie de vivre, but gratitude for one’s life, friendships, and achievements—despite recurring difficulties. It helps to properly handle difficult situations and remain resilient. “All responders were remarkably resilient,” the researchers write. Centenarians saw hardship as an opportunity for improvement – during war, isolation due to covid, in abusive relationships or after the loss of loved ones. “I’ve learned to cope with everything that life has thrown at me and I’ve always come out of it,” explained one 100-year-old woman.
Mental performance is one of the best indicators of longevity, according to the team. Centenarians could think abstractly, draw conclusions and plan. They tried to solve the problems of their long life and learn. The key qualities supporting their intelligence were curiosity, a positive attitude and pragmatism. They were active, agile and flexible until old age.
This article comes from the Ringier publishing partner website. The content and data contained in it were taken without editorial intervention.
