At the recent American Heart Association's EPI/Lifestyle 2015 Scientific Sessions held in Baltimore, health specialists from Mt. Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai Roosevelt discussed how healthy heart is promoted by living a purposeful existence. The study highlights the relevance of having a sense of purpose in life to lessen the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Other studies have associated life purpose to longevity, optimism and overall wellbeing. As for the Mt. Sinai research, scientists were able to analyse how purpose-driven living reduced mortality by 23 percent and lessened cases of stroke, heart attack and other cardiac procedures by 19 percent. The analyses were based on data from 10 related studies that involves a total of 137,000 individuals. It also explains how having a low sense of purpose could lead to early death or could trigger cardiac events.

Randy Cohen, the study’s lead author and a preventive cardiologist at Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai Roosevelt, emphasises the importance of realising one’s sense of purpose in life to keep the heart healthy. Asking oneself the question about one’s reason for existence could sustain or improve life. Findings in this research show that realising the significance of life purpose is a health determinant.

Various psychological and social factors have been linked to heart disease risks by a number of research. These factors could either promote better health or cause adverse effects. Co-author of the Mt. Sinai study, Alan Rozanski, Wellness and Prevention Programs Director for Mount Sinai, recommends more assessment on life purpose as a contributing factor to health and evaluation of the strategies developed to motivate purpose-driven living.

In 2008, a study on Japanese men who had low sense of purpose suggests that life meaning is associated with early death and heart disease. Developing a strong sense of purpose in life has also been associated with slowing Alzheimer’s disease in older people. Individuals with greater sense of life purpose are also more likely to take on preventive healthcare. This particular study points out the health benefit of creating purpose rather than pursuing happiness. Life purpose can also improve tolerance to pain and social skills.

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For more discussions on life purpose:

Purpose in Life as a Predictor of Mortality Across Adulthood

Health Tip: Find Purpose in Life

How Sense of Purpose In Life May Slow Alzheimer’s

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