If you believe that your life is valuable and meaningful, you are less likely to deteriorate mentally after age 50. A sense of purpose and meaning in life can reduce the risk of dementia.
Scientists from Florida State University examined data collected between 2006 and 2015 in the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe. They followed 22.514 people over the age of 50 from 14 different European countries for an average of seven years.
At the beginning of the study, participants answered the question: How often do you feel that your life has meaning? In subsequent years, researchers used simple tests to determine whether participants were deteriorating mentally. This was the case for 4% of them.
Results
Participants who reported that their lives often seemed meaningless were 75% more likely to experience mental decline than those who felt their lives had meaning.
This association persisted even after the researchers took into account factors such as place of residence, age, gender, education level and marital status. The association persisted even after participants who deteriorated quickly after answering the question were removed from the analysis.
Conclusion
“This study shows a strong relationship between a meaningful life and the risk of cognitive decline,” the researchers concluded.
“Given its modifiability, meaning seeking could be a useful intervention to support healthier cognitive aging and reduce the risk of dementia.”
Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167494320300273?via%3Dihub
As far as I know, activities are also responsible for good sanity and prevention of mental decline. One of them is learning a new language and that is of great benefit to most. Sports also help and a combination of sports seems best to me.
So I devote almost two hours a day to sports and three hours to study (of which almost two hours of language learning is done while exercising). I only read and practice the characters while sitting down. But I learn words and also the lessons that are published as audio during my exercises. And I do this in VR (an hour on my cross trainer and an hour of less intensive table tennis)…
Also experiment with various things such as baking your own bread (no bread machine), building a pond, a jacuzzi, an outdoor shower and many other things that involve your hands and your head.
It also gives purpose to your life.
Sitting around drinking beer from morning to evening and complaining about the Thais doesn't occur to me. No time for and no interest in it. And it's mind-numbing.
I didn't study for this, but I think that if you experience your life as meaningless, that thought alone means a mental decline...
Just like Sjaak, I try to keep my head fit; me with reading and translating. That gives me meaning in life at 77 and keeps me clear and positive. I think so myself, at least...
I wonder if many farangs drink beer every day and all day long, but I certainly don't.
But I didn't come here to work up a sweat every day, I do do activities such as walking, swimming, exercise bike, but then go with the flow.
If the day ever looks different, I don't do anything, and I'll see the next day, nothing is necessary, everything is allowed, long live Thailand.