Relax -- And Live Longer
Senior News Line
BYMATILDACHARLES

Remember that song, "Don't Worry, Be Happy"? If we want to live longer, we should heed those words.

Researchers have long believed that certain personality traits impact health. A new study in a recent issue of Psychological Science, "Personality Change Influences Mortality in Older Men," shows how very true it is.

Purdue University psychologist Dr. Daniel Mroczek studied 1,663 older men and tracked them for more than 12 years, focusing on emotional stability. The study included an 18-year prediction about the mortality of those subjects. He hypothesized that changes in the level of neuroticism (the opposite of emotional stability) affected mortality.

Those who have high levels of neuroticism are generally anxious, worried, negative and stressed out. If something unexpected or unpleasant happens, an emotionally stable person will face it, deal with it and move on. For someone who is neurotic, the event can have a much greater impact and the effects will linger much longer.

The study noted how neurotic each man was initially, and whether they became more or less neurotic as time went on. From that Dr. Mroczek was able to extrapolate and assess mortality risk. He determined that those men who were initially highly neurotic and stayed that way (or worse, increased that level) had lower survival rates.

The bottom line of the study was this: Those men who changed their reactions to stress increased their expected longevity to the level of men who were more emotionally stable.

While the study was about men, I don't doubt at all that similar results would be found for women. Those of us who are stressed-out need to find ways to cool down and relax -- and live longer.

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions. Do not send any material requiring return mail. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853-6475, or send e-mail to letters.kfws@hearstsc.com.

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