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Pillars of health

Meaning

A strong sense of purpose is associated with a 17% lower risk of death: a meta-analysis of 10 cohorts, 136,265 people.

Level: Spirit · Steady spiritMeta-analysis of observational studies · Psychosomatic Medicine (Cohen R et al.), 2016 (opens in a new tab)

What science says

  1. The same meta-analysis: the risk of cardiovascular events among people with a strong sense of purpose is also 17% lower. These are observational data: an association, not proven cause.

    Meta-analysis of observational studiesPsychosomatic Medicine (Cohen R et al.), 2016 (opens in a new tab)

  2. In a cohort of 6,985 Americans over 50, people with the weakest sense of purpose had a 2.43 times higher risk of dying over four years of follow-up than those with the strongest.

    Observational studyJAMA Network Open (Alimujiang A et al.), 2019 (opens in a new tab)

  3. Among 7,304 people over 50, feeling that what they do is worthwhile went together with strong relationships, volunteering, cultural life, less loneliness, more physical activity and better sleep. Over four years this feeling predicted improvements in health and relationships.

    Observational studyPNAS (Steptoe A, Fancourt D), 2019 (opens in a new tab)

  4. Volunteering 100 hours a year or more — about two hours a week — among people over 50 is associated with a lower risk of death, more physical activity, optimism, purpose in life and less loneliness. No link was found with many conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

    Observational studyAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine (Kim ES et al.), 2020 (opens in a new tab)

Weekly anchor

There is no norm for meaning. This is an AbsoHealth practice, not a rule.

  • About two hours for something that matters beyond yourself.[4] Source
  • One note: what was truly worthwhile this week.Practice
  • Time with people who share what you care about.Practice

How to start

Three small steps for this week.

  1. Write down three things that make you want to get up in the morning, and pick one that gets an hour this week.
  2. Find something where your strength is needed: a neighbourhood clean-up, helping animals, mentoring.
  3. Talk about what matters with someone close or in a circle of like-minded people.

Important. If nothing has brought joy for a long time and meaning is hard to see, it is worth talking to a doctor or a psychologist. Thoughts of harming yourself are a reason to call emergency services (112) right away.

Try it nearby

Live is stronger than a screen: classes and masters on AbsoLive, the map of the Absolute community.

Only the name of the activity goes into the link — no answers and no data from this device.

In the Absolute family

  • AbsoHomedemo

    A change of scene

    Homes of community members in the mountains, by the sea and on an island — for a retreat and time away from the usual. For now it is a demo: the launch is ahead.

    Open AbsoHome (opens in a new tab)

Next on AbsoHealth

Sources

  1. 1Purpose in Life and Its Relationship to All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Events: A Meta-Analysis (opens in a new tab) — Psychosomatic Medicine (Cohen R et al.), 2016
  2. 2Association Between Life Purpose and Mortality Among US Adults Older Than 50 Years (opens in a new tab) — JAMA Network Open (Alimujiang A et al.), 2019
  3. 3Leading a meaningful life at older ages and its relationship with social engagement, prosperity, health, biology, and time use (opens in a new tab) — PNAS (Steptoe A, Fancourt D), 2019
  4. 4Volunteering and Subsequent Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach (opens in a new tab) — American Journal of Preventive Medicine (Kim ES et al.), 2020