IF YOU are here for a good time, you might well end up staying for a longer time according to new research from the University College London.
A recent UCL study, published in the Christmas edition of the British Medical Journal, found a link between sustained enjoyment of life over a number of years in older age and lower mortality rates.
According to the research, the longer an individual reports enjoying their life, the lower their risk of death.
While previous studies had shown links between wellbeing and people's sense of enjoyment and satisfaction with life, these studies only measured wellbeing on one occasion.
The study involved 9365 men and women aged 50 and older who were taking part in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
The participants level of happiness was assessed at intervals between 2002 and 2006 and mortality rates were analysed until 2013.
Almost a quarter (24 per cent) of participants reported no levels of enjoyment on any occasion, 20 per cent reported one instance, 22 per cent reported two and 34 per cent reported three instances.
There were 1310 deaths of participants reported during the follow up stage, with mortality rates higher among those who reported no enjoyment.
The authors have pointed out serious illness can increase the risk of death and inhibit enjoyment and may have had some impact on findings.
