We’ve long known there can be a difference between your chronological age and your “subjective age,” i.e., the age you actually feel you are, whatever the biological number may technically be. Researchers have already demonstrated that those who feel subjectively younger than their chronological age have brain images that in fact look like the brains of younger individuals. Now comes word that when you feel younger than your chronological age, this subjective feeling may be a buffer against some of the harmful effects of stress as you go through middle-age into your later years. 

Published in the journal Psychology and Aging, this new research was conducted by German scientists looking at over 5000 participants ages 40 and above over a 3-year period. Participants were surveyed about the amount of stress they felt and about their subjective feelings concerning how old they felt. Those participants who reported more stress in their lives experienced a steeper decline in functional health. However, among those who felt younger than their chronological age, the link between stress and health decline was weaker. So, the question is, if you’re able to partake in activities, or create a mindset, that facilitates you feeling younger, could that reduce the negative impact of stress and improve your health and well-being as you enter your later years? To find out more, click here.

Continued research needs to be conducted to determine the best ways for older adults to retain a more youthful feeling. However, while we’re waiting for that research to happen, you may want to consider some of the existing ideas already available to “keep you young.” First, Time Magazine reports on another German study that suggests maintaining a sense of control in your life will allow you to subjectively feel more youthful. Having a sense of agency over your life- whether it’s choosing where you live, what you eat, or with whom you associate- can give you more confidence and motivation to lead a healthy lifestyle and thereby feel younger. And it’s probably no surprise that many recommend becoming or staying physically fit- for example through strength training or stretching– as a way to feel youthful (and, by the way, to also lessen the impact of stress on your life).

Insider recently published a laundry list of 18 little things to do every day to make you feel younger. Among the easiest to implement? In addition to more exercise, healthier eating, and more social engagement, the list includes listening to music from your younger days (perhaps resurrecting some fond memories of earlier times) and just plain smiling more, which can lift your mood, lower your stress and even boost your immune system. Finally, the website LifeHack has some ideas to lure you into a more youthful mindset. Among the suggestions? Stay in the present- rather than ruminate about the past or worry about the future- and take the time to listen- especially to someone younger than you who might have something new to teach you. There’s nothing like hanging out with a younger person to keep you feeling youthful!