Live longer: avoid stress

The original discussion was about "blue zones" a decade ago. At that time I missed it. Now there is some Medium post on the subject (We’ve Known How to Combat Dementia For Years — We’re Just Not Listening).

Some extracts:

In 2010, researchers concluded that chronic stress significantly increased women’s likelihood of developing dementia. In 2013, researchers found that chronic stress quickens the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. In 2017, a meta-analysis pointed to stress as a likely contributor to dementia. In 2017, another study successfully used measures of stress to predict dementia onset.

In 2009, Dan Buettner published his book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, which covered the lifestyle of a collection of communities across the globe with especially long life expectancies. In addition to longer life, these communities have significantly reduced rates of depression, dementia, cancer, and heart disease. Buettner’s book became a bestseller and was quickly followed by a series of books on how to live like a member of the blue zones. The blue zone people became a cultural phenomenon. They were the key to living longer, and we wanted to mimic them — almost.

Two years after The Blue Zones, a group of researchers at the University of Athens published a study on the sociodemographics and lifestyles of these people. While diet, sleep, and other healthy habits contributed to their longevity, the study concluded that long life in the blue zone is a product of regular socializing, a sense of purpose, and low-stress levels as much as it is a product of physical health.

The lifestyle of the blue zone people vastly differs from the rat race culture pervasive in Western society. They live simply and emphasize community. In fact, microbiologist and health coach P.D. Mangan points out that “the factor that unites all of these [blue zone people] is either being less touched by modernity, or actively rejecting it.”