Purpose in Life Linked to Better Brain Health!

SunBro Health

Want to stay mentally sharp as you age? New research shows that having a strong sense of purpose can significantly support cognitive health. One U.S. study followed 1,702 adults aged 65+ for 10 years, while a UK study tracked 10,000 adults aged 50+ for 16 years. Both found that higher well-being—especially purpose, autonomy, and personal growth—was linked to better memory, processing speed, and reasoning, even after adjusting for Alzheimer’s risk factors. Watch to learn how cultivating purpose could be one of the most powerful tools to protect your brain in later life.   References: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evidence-based-living/202507/a-sense-of-purpose-promotes-cognitive-health

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00:00Welcome back Sunbro, we hope you all in great health and great money.

00:04Before we start, please at least subscribe so we can have little money for food and paying bills.

00:09Alright, today we are going to talk about purpose in life link to better brain health.

00:15The US population over 65 is projected to grow from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050,

00:21a 41% increase. With age comes a higher risk of cognitive decline, about 30% of adults over 70

00:28experience mild cognitive issues or dementia. Researchers are exploring ways to protect brain

00:33health and well-being, especially purpose, stands out. A 10-year study in psychological science

00:38tracked 1,702 adults over 65. Participants took annual cognitive tests and completed surveys

00:45measuring autonomy, growth, purpose, and life satisfaction. Those with higher well-being

00:50showed better cognitive performance. Declines in well-being matched declines in cognitive function.

00:54A second analysis confirmed the connection. Higher well-being correlated with higher cognitive

00:58scores, and vice versa, even after adjusting for age, sex, race, education, depression,

01:04and Alzheimer's risk genes. The strongest effects came from purpose, autonomy, and personal growth.

01:10Life satisfaction had a smaller impact. Another long-term UK study followed over 10,000 adults

01:15aged 50-plus for 16 years. Those with higher happiness, confidence, purpose, and control had

01:21better memory over time, regardless of depression symptoms. These studies suggest purpose isn't

01:26just meaningful, it's protective. And unlike fixed risk factors, it's something you can build

01:30at any age. A strong sense of purpose is linked to better brain health as you grow older.

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