There’s more to feeling young than being able to stay up all night. Learning to feel youthful, regardless of what your ID says, can be a great way to improve your health. Many researchers are interested in the topic, and many of them agree that feeling younger than your chronological age may help your overall wellness — either physically or emotionally.

The Bright Side team believes that age is just a number and has gathered 5 science-backed reasons for you, to encourage you to follow this motto and feel young, energetic, and vibrant again.

1. People who feel younger are protected from stress.

It may be true that the age you feel can predict your mental well-being better than the age on your birth certificate. Feeling younger than your actual age has also been associated with a lower risk of a major depressive episode (MDE) and higher chances of flourishing mental health (FMH).

3. Feeling younger is associated with lower levels of inflammation.

Some people are old at 30 and some are young at 90 or at least this is what another study has implied. The findings indicate that the people who perceive themselves to be older than their actual age have elevated levels of inflammation. However, we’d like to note that following an anti-inflammatory diet and exercising regularly is necessary.

4. Older adults who feel younger are less likely to get physically impaired or sick.

As far as we know, there’s no magical pill that stops or reverses the aging process. And even though we can’t help but get older, it’s our attitude that makes us old. Researchers also believe that we’re as old as we feel.

In fact, people who believe they are older than their chronological age are more likely to be hospitalized. In contrast, those who feel younger are healthier and recover from disability more quickly.

5. Older adults who feel younger tend to live longer.

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Often, the mind and the body are on separate tracks. In our case, a youthful frame of mind can have a powerful effect and can literally make us live longer. A research letter showed that people who genuinely believe they are younger than the number on their birth certificate have a longer life expectancy. In contrast, people who feel older suffer from reduced longevity.

Imagine that you don’t have a birth certificate and your age is simply dependent on how you feel. How old would you say you are? What are the things you do that make you feel like you’re aging backward?