Looking Good, Feeling Good

Your attitude about aging makes all the difference.

Research by psychologist Becca Levy shows that people with the most positive views about aging live seven and a half years longer compared to those with the most negative beliefs.

Newer research adds a twist. People who believe they look younger than others their age are more likely to have those positive attitudes about aging.

That may seem a bit shallow. But if we’re being honest, there are very few among us who truly don’t care about our appearance. And if looking good makes you feel good about yourself, then there are certainly worse things you could focus on.

The best ways to look better are also the activities that lead to a longer, healthier life in general. Sleep well, eat well, and focus on both strength training and cardio fitness, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to look better and feel better.

From there, though, the questions are trickier.

Should you use Ozempic for weight loss? What about dying your hair, getting cosmetic surgery, or using “anti-aging” skin products?

Perhaps it’s not tricky at all if your reasoning passes the “midlife test.” Are you doing it because society dictates that you should, or are you doing it because this is part of who you want to be going forward?

Remember, “looking good” is subjective. It’s all about what you think and how you feel about yourself, not silly trends and expectations.

From there, you do you. Because if we learned anything from Louis and Billy Ray in Trading Places, it’s that looking good and feeling good truly do go hand in hand.

For more on the sleep part of the “looking good feeling good” equation, don’t miss Trudi’s article below. And feel free to hit reply to this email and tell me what you think about aging gracefully.

Keep going-

Brian Clark

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Closing the Gender Gap

A new study suggests that women may require less exercise to get similar longevity benefits as men. Researchers hope that the findings in this study can help close the “gender gap” in exercise by motivating women to engage in regular leisure-time physical activity

Women May Get a Bigger Longevity Boost from Exercise than Men (Washington Post gift article)

Under the Table and Dreaming

The newest #socialmediatrend is lying on the floor. What? Well, although there isn’t a body of research that extols the benefits of lying on the ground, psychologists say spending time on the floor is unlikely to hurt, and can even help us feel grounded.

Are You a ‘Floor Person’? Why Lying on the Ground Feels So Good (New York Times gift article)

I’m Sorry Dave, I’m Afraid I Can’t Hire You

Employers claim they can’t find enough good candidates to fill job openings, but some can’t be bothered to send a human to talk to applicants. This is just another indication that having a traditional job is going to become worse than ever going forward.

The Job Applicants Shut Out by AI: ‘The Interviewer Sounded Like Siri’ (The Guardian)

The Great American Escape

People are always claiming that they’re going to leave the US if their presidential candidate loses, whether it be Obama or Trump. But the prospect of another Trump term has some making serious plans to leave. No matter who wins this fall, the high cost of living, lack of affordable quality health care, and the insane national debt are going to continue the expat exodus.

Fleeing Trumpland (Business Insider)

The Journey to Better Sleep

By Trudi Roth

Sleep is perhaps the most essential of the three core longevity pillars, and for a reported one-third of adults, it’s also the most elusive. Not getting enough rest impacts everything in your life: productivity, moods, mental health, and physical health. And it only gets more critical as you age, as chronic sleep deprivation is linked to ​​heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, obesity, and stroke.

It’s no wonder, then, that Hilton’s 2024 Trends Report found that “rest and relaxation” is the #1 driver of today’s travel destinations. This is also why the wellness industrial complex has elevated getting a good night’s sleep to a pricey pursuit known as “sleep tourism.”

Whether you spend $1,780 to descend into “meditative stillness” in a stainless steel “cocoon” or not, there are some valuable insights to glean from the high-end hotels catering to the weariest travelers.

Golden Slumbers

First, a quick tour of the sleep hygiene practices that help support your getting the recommended 7-9 hours of nightly sleep for healthy aging:

• Sleep in a dark, silent room
• No screens two(+) hours before bedtime
• Partake in sleep-enhancing practices before bed, like herbal tea or a hot bath
• Prioritize destressing (i.e., meditate)

And, of course, take breaks, which is what getting away is all about.

‘The earlier paradigm of a vacation was that sleeping was the most boring thing you could do while on holiday,’ said Kaushik Vardharajan, an associate professor at the Boston University School of Hospitality Administration. ‘It is only during the last 10 years or so that we have as a society started talking about the importance of sleep from a health and wellness perspective.’

Luxury hotels have long been focused on sleep “perks,” and now they’ve up the ante to include AI-powered smart beds that adjust to your body and SmartGoggles that lower your heart rate with heat, massage, and vibration. You can even go on a special retreat to work on your sleep challenges with experts, including medical professionals and spiritual wellness providers.

Or, you might slow down, notice what R&R truly means, and consider how to make it a more regular destination.

A Life of Your Dreams

Instead of saving up for a rest-centric vacation, how about making your lifestyle more compatible with getting better sleep?

Start by doing the things you do more of while you’re away, like communing with nature, exercising, and power napping, which new research shows has both short- and long-term benefits.

Then, give yourself a chance to examine the root causes of your sleep disturbances. If your lifestyle is what’s fueling your tossing and turning, then maybe it’s time for a change of scenery in a more relaxing locale. (Hello, location-independent business!) Just an idea to sleep on.

$1,780 to Spend the Night in a ‘Cocoon’? Hotels Are Betting on Sleep Tourism (New York Times gift article)