Longevity: it starts with Connection

Building longevity via yogic life choices is a real “raison d’être” here at Intārya. So, it is only right that we dedicate an article to this topic quarterly.

This first journal on Longevity aims to unpack the different components broadly considered by scientific research to contribute towards quality long, happy & healthy human life, particularly as found in those global Blue Zones (-one of which is exemplified in this quarter’s article “Veganism: Plant Protein Power”).

Longevity Life Lessons

According to scientists who have studied the five Blue Zones of the world, the keys to longevity are diet, exercise, finding a purpose in life (an “ikigai”) & finally, forming strong social ties- that is, having a broad circle of friends & good family relations (Ikigai- Héctor García & Fracesc Miralles).

What strikes me as most interesting here is that the first three components (diet, exercise & ikigai) seem to be matters that are somewhat within our own control. For instance, we are generally all able to improve our diets, exercise routines & vocation with some level of agency. For most of us, such modifications require some planning, patience & persistence.

Forming positive social ties, however- to my mind at least- may be more challenging; this requires a number of factors in your surrounding circumstances to be optimal for quality connections to be forged.

Lack of Connection can be a killer

As adults, we have all experienced difficulty making new friends or maintaining problem-free relationships with family. This is because often, there are too many variables or competing interests at play. For instance, perhaps you would really like to catch up with that friend over a Sunday brunch more regularly, but your daughter’s sports practice always takes priority. Or maybe, you yearn to spend more time with an aging parent, but your career has planted you in an entirely different city or country away from them. Even when the logistics do work out, the conditions for community building may not always be ideal. For example, you head to a party on a Saturday night in the hope of finding some like-minded company & instead end up disappointed because you found nobody at the event with whom you had anything in common. Or previously you’ve been confronted with an economic barrier preventing you from going on that weekend away with your new found friends & now you feel left out or distanced from that friend group. In short, experiencing successful & long-lasting social interactions, at least in adult life, seems like tricky business.

Although exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, people are now becoming more aware of how social isolation & loneliness are serious risk factors for their health. Not only can loneliness impact mental health, but the stress & behaviors that people assume during times of isolation can make them more vulnerable to disease & early mortality. For instance, research indicates that prolonged periods of isolation are associated with increased stress & linked with short & long-term dysfunctions to the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. This helps regulate a number of body systems, among them the autonomic nervous & immune systems (-How Social Connection Supports Longevity- Stanford Lifestyle Medicine). Around the world, social disconnection has become so pervasive that countries like the U.K. & Japan have appointed special ministers tasked with combatting this public health crisis. Here in the US, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared a national social disconnection epidemic in 2023, warning that about 50% of adults in the country are struggling with loneliness (-The importance of connections: Ways to live a longer, healthier life- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). It’s no wonder that the World Health Organization has announced social isolation as a growing public health issue that should be taken as seriously as more well-known issues such as smoking, obesity & sedentary lifestyles.

So, in reality- how can communities minimize loneliness & create more inclusive, connection-building environments?

Connection: 5 ingredients for stronger Community

According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there are 5 key factors relating to social ties which can contribute to a community’s overall longevity: social connection; prosociality; spirituality; optimist & a conducive work environment.

Social Connection; the stigma surrounding loneliness

Loneliness is a gap between the social connections we have & the ones we want to have. But that gap can be closed by changing how we make sense of loneliness & seek to address it. The health care system, in particular, can play an essential role by both reducing the stigma that surrounds loneliness & referring patients to community resources that can help them overcome it. This is an approach known as “social prescribing”, something that has already been implemented in the UK & is currently being tested out here in the US. Resources recommended by healthcare professionals to tackle loneliness can take the form of walking groups, cooking or sports classes & volunteering opportunities such as drawing or book clubs. “Creativity, imagination & self-expression can help people feel better connected to themselves, to other people & the bigger human experience” (Jeremy Nobel at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). In essence, it’s important to recognize that loneliness is not a sign that there is something wrong with us. Instead, it should be viewed as a biological signal indicating that we need human connection, just like thirst is a signal telling us that we need water. As Jeremy Nobel at Harvard Chan School of Public Health has previously stated: “I’ve never met anyone embarrassed about being thirsty, so why are we embarrassed about being lonely?”

Prosociality

“Prosocial behavior” is defined as human behavior whereby the subject displays an intention or willingness to engage in helping or benefiting others, such as sharing or volunteering. Scientific research suggests that this act can help individuals enjoy better quality health themselves. The Baltimore Experience Corps Trial is an example of a large study designed to evaluate the health benefits of volunteering for older adults. The results here showed that seniors who spent about 15 hours a week tutoring & mentoring young children in public schools experienced improvements in both their cognitive & physical health, including better memory. Another really interesting development on this topic is that prosocial behavior actually winds up being more beneficial to the “giver” of the help, than to the receiver. In short, if we can figure out a way to foster greater prosociality in communities, I think we would see more results in better health there.

Spirituality; a tool for self-care

“Spirituality is distinguished from all other things—humanism, values, morals, & mental health—by its connection to that which is sacred, [ie.] the transcendent. The transcendent is […] outside of the self & yet also within the self” (Koenig HG, King DE, Carson VB. Handbook of religion and health). In the Western world this “transcendent” force is known by terms such as “God” or a “Higher Power” & in Eastern traditions it may be called “Brahman”, “manifestations of Brahman” or the “Buddha”, as often alluded to in the world of yoga. (I should add here that yoga is formally understood as a non-religious practice).

So not all notions of an ultimate “truth”, “reality” or “higher power” are religious. Being “spiritual” does not necessarily always mean that we need to pertain to a globally-recognized or organized faith system.

The US Health & Retirement Study has explored the relationship between spirituality & longevity in quite some depth. This particular study looked at chronic stress, including inflammation & how this interplays with spiritual practice. Perhaps predictably, it was found that intrinsic spirituality moderated in individuals the relationship between chronic stress & inflammation, suggesting that persons with stronger spiritual commitment or motivation are better able to cope with stress.

The reasons for this can be easily identified; for centuries human beings have turned to faith systems to provide them with mental or emotional support, particularly when times are tough. This act of metaphorically “handing over” ones problems to a greater power when we feel powerless allows an individual permission to not have to be so constantly perfect & to find solace in the fact that as human beings, we do not always need to have all the answers.

However, it is the “community” aspect of religion that is perhaps the more ground-breaking revelation when it comes to longevity. Spiritual practices drive a sense of community because they invite the need for communion. Whether we are talking about a Christian mass in the Blue Zone of Loma Linda, or a small assembly at a simple yoga or meditation class anywhere in the world, studies have shown that those adults attending such events more than once a week were 30% less likely to die in the following 16 years than adults who never attended. (The importance of connections: Ways to live a longer, healthier life- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health).

Furthermore, participating in spiritual practices during childhood & adolescence may have several positive health outcomes in early adulthood, including lowering rates of depression, smoking, drug use & sexually transmitted infections. This is due to the “consensus” generally reached in spiritual communities on topics such as valuing human life & self-preservation; topics that a child becomes exposed to when involved in spiritual practices.

Whilst issues of repression or control in religion do of course feature in extreme cases, what we can perhaps learn & adopt from spirituality is the notion that human life is sacred, that it should be revered & respected. Quite interestingly, spirituality in many forms promotes that ethos of “self-care”, which we so often now see promoted in non-spiritual contexts.

Optimism; a product of habit or microbiome?

The expectation that the future will be good embodies the notion of optimism.

Last year, researchers found that postmenopausal women who reported higher levels of optimism showed healthier functioning on two indicators that can predict someone’s ability to maintain physical health & independence as they age. Firstly, the number of times they were able to stand up from a chair without using their hands during 15-second trials & secondly, grip strength. Generally, it is now also common knowledge that optimists tend to consume healthier diets, smoke less & are more physically active.

But behavior alone, apparently, does not explain all the differences we see between the habits of optimists versus pessimists. There is actually now data showing that even the gut microbiome of a person could be associated with whether they gravitate towards an optimistic or pessimistic view of life. It is now understood that individuals with healthier gut microbiome have higher levels of optimism due to factors like enhanced hormonal health & metabolites affecting the gut-brain axis.

Whatever the pathways might be, optimism can be cultivated in society. Finding ways to increase optimism at the population level could include strengthening the welfare system to better support people overcoming challenges, which in turn may help improve public health.

Related to this & on a macro-level, more optimism in society could also help improve the economic health of a state or nation. Public spending requires trust in the societal offering & structures available, but also an appetite for investment; the success of both are dependent on an optimistic approach from those involved. Essentially, it’s important that people feel a sense of hope when they think about the future if they are going to even begin to think about investing financially or even physically in their own health towards longevity.

Work Environment

Work is one of the most important- yet highly neglected- social determinants of health. It drives our income, social ties & the opportunity for participation in society. As such, it is also known to shape our cognitive & physical health in many different ways.

Studies carried out by Harvard Chan School have found that workers who have little control over their workload tend to suffer from higher mortality rates, especially when they also have challenging family needs, for example, in the case of single parents. The reason for this is obvious; a stressful environment when an individual is constantly in “fight or flight” mode will inevitably result in their burn-out & potential stress-related health risks, reducing chances of longevity.

The good news is that factors that affect health can be modified via corporate interventions or labor policy. Governments too can enact policies to help workers age in good health. For instance, by adopting paid family leave, making sure employees have enough guaranteed hours to work or making work conditions less precarious or unpredictable as far as possible.

The bottom line on Longevity & Connection

So, the key takeaways on the relationship between longevity & connection can be drawn from a number of important factors.

But perhaps the most prevalent ones, when thinking about how to better support & strengthen a community involve questioning the quality of our social connections; our present (or lacking) attitude of prosociality; any spiritual values we follow & whether we share these in communion with others; how we might foster a more optimistic culture around us & finally, how our work environment affects our relationship with our health.