Purpose anxiety

Sense of purpose may equal a longer life

People who possess a higher sense of purpose tend to live. Researchers reviewed 10 studies involving more than 136,000 people and evaluated the relationship between purpose in life and the risk of death or cardiovascular disease. The participants, average age 67, were followed for about seven years. Risk of death was about 20 per cent lower for people who reported still having a strong sense of purpose. They also had a lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke. The researchers speculated that a sense of purpose may help a person better manage stress and encourages a more active lifestyle.