Recent Blog Articles
Nicotine addiction explained — and how medications can help
Is your vision impaired? Tips to cope
Misgendering: What it is and why it matters
Healthy brain, healthier heart?
Stories connect us
Wondering about a headline-grabbing drug? Read on
Respiratory virus cases tick upward: What parents should know
Hope: Why it matters
Will new guidelines for heart failure affect you?
Want probiotics but dislike yogurt? Try these foods
Mind & Mood
Exercise can add to your sense of purpose — and vice versa
- By: Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
In the journals
It’s well established that regular exercise can improve one’s mental outlook. A new study found the connection also works in the other direction: a sense of purpose makes it more likely you’ll stay physically active.
Researchers used information from the Health and Retirement Study, an ongoing project involving about 18,000 middle-aged and older adults. As part of the study, participants were asked questions designed to evaluate their sense of purpose in life and how much physical activity they regularly engaged in. The authors defined a sense of purpose as "having goals and aims that give life direction and meaning."
The researchers examined data from a specific four-year interval. No surprise, people who started out leading active lives showed an increase in their sense of purpose four years later. But those who had a strong sense of purpose in the beginning actually increased their physical activity over time.
While the results only showed an association, the researchers suggest adopting an exercise routine can provide goals and structure that helps offer direction and meaning, especially as people age. On the other end, people who have a strong sense of purpose in life are more motivated to stay physically active.
The results were published online April 23, 2021, by the Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
You might also be interested in…
Positive Psychology: Harnessing the power of happiness, mindfulness, and inner strength
Positive emotions have been linked with better health, longer life, and greater well-being in numerous scientific studies. On the other hand, chronic anger, worry, and hostility increase the risk of developing heart disease, as people react to these feelings with raised blood pressure and stiffening of blood vessels. But it isn’t easy to maintain a healthy, positive emotional state. Positive Psychology: Harnessing the power of happiness, mindfulness, and inner strength is a guide to the concepts that can help you find well-being and happiness, based on the latest research.