Longevity is most often associated with what can be measured: diet, movement, test results, or genetics. We think less often about relationships, mental health, and the everyday experiences that give us a sense of meaning. Yet it is possible to exercise regularly, eat well, and undergo a full range of preventive screenings while also living with chronic stress or loneliness. Healthy aging cannot be reduced solely to caring for the body.
Beyond the body. The role of mental health in healthy aging
Physical and mental health are closely connected. It is difficult to talk about well being without caring for the body, but it is equally difficult to protect health when we lack energy, a sense of purpose, or support. The mind and body rarely function separately, especially when tension or overload becomes a permanent part of everyday life.
Chronic stress is one of the best studied examples of this connection. Numerous studies show that it negatively affects sleep quality, recovery, energy levels, and everyday health behaviors. Some analyses also link it to inflammatory processes and immune system function.
As psychologist and ELEVATE speaker Beata Justkowiak points out, eliminating stress completely is impossible. What matters more is how we respond to it and whether we are able to return to a state of balance.
“It is impossible to remove stress from life completely. That is simply unrealistic. What matters more is strengthening our ability to respond to difficulties. Emotional regulation, intentional rest, and creating space for reflection can all help. Rest is not the opposite of productivity. It is an opportunity to reach a deeper level of recovery and focus attention on what truly matters. The ability to recover effectively is the foundation of long term well being and performance.”
Loneliness, an underestimated health risk factor
According to WHO data, approximately 1 in 6 people worldwide currently experience loneliness¹. However, loneliness does not always mean physical isolation. Sometimes it resembles scenes from Edward Hopper’s paintings: watching the world through a window, being close to others yet somehow still separate. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General described this phenomenon as an “epidemic of loneliness and isolation”², emphasizing that the problem is not only social but also health related. The report highlighted that chronic loneliness may be associated with a higher risk of:
- heart disease and stroke,
- depression and anxiety disorders,
- weakened immunity,
- cognitive decline and dementia,
- premature death.
One hypothesis suggests that the body may interpret chronic loneliness as a state of danger. As a result, the nervous system remains in a heightened state of alert for longer, and the body functions as though the threat were still present.
Loneliness is no longer an experience associated mainly with older age. In a 2026 study conducted for the report “How Poles View Longevity. Between Intentions and Everyday Life” for Gedeon Richter Poland³, as many as 28% of young adults reported that they often or always felt lonely. Increasing attention is now being paid not only to the scale of loneliness itself, but also to how it can be prevented and how social relationships affect health.
Why can strong relationships be protective?
One of the most frequently cited projects examining the impact of social relationships on health is the Harvard Study of Adult Development⁴, which has been running for more than 85 years. The conclusions drawn from decades of observation are consistent. It is not social status, professional success, or wealth, but satisfying relationships that are among the factors most strongly associated with health and well being in later life.
What may matter is not so much the number of social contacts as their quality. Researchers emphasize the importance of feeling safe, supported, and able to be yourself in a relationship. This does not necessarily require a large network of friends or an intense social life. Even a few stable bonds that provide a sense of closeness can be extremely important.
The protective effects of relationships also operate at the biological level. Social bonds may support the body’s healthy functioning and reduce the risk of disease. The Surgeon General’s report cited above found that a stronger sense of connection with others is associated with more favorable indicators of cardiovascular health, including blood pressure, the body’s stress response, and oxidative stress levels. Social support and close relationships are also associated with better hormonal regulation, including oxytocin, a hormone linked to feelings of safety, connection, and attachment.
According to an Elevate Speaker
How can we build relationships that support us?
“Relationships that truly support us rarely happen by accident. They are built through presence, not the spectacular kind, but the intentional kind: listening attentively, keeping your word, and being willing to stand beside someone during a difficult moment or an overwhelming week. It is also worth asking whether our relationships are reciprocal, whether we both give and receive. The chronic feeling that we are always the ones giving is exhausting, quickly and effectively. That is why it is worth intentionally making time for people who create space for our emotions and authenticity, people around whom we do not have to pretend that everything is fine or manage how we are perceived. These are the kinds of bonds that act as a buffer against stress and adversity. These are relationships that offer both depth and a sense of lightness and freedom.”
In search of a lost sense of purpose. Meaning in life and longevity
For mental well being, people usually need more than safety and strong relationships. A sense of direction, agency, and the belief that everyday life has meaning also prove important. In Japanese culture, a similar idea is described by the concept of ikigai, translated as the joy and essence of life.
Psychologists have explored this subject for years. Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and the founder of logotherapy, wrote that life can retain meaning even under extremely difficult circumstances and that a sense of purpose helps maintain psychological balance. Similar themes can also be found today in the psychology of well being, where a sense of meaning is considered an important dimension of mental health.
A sense of purpose may support not only mental well being but also healthy aging. It is associated with greater engagement in health promoting behaviors such as a healthy diet and physical activity, as well as better cognitive function in later life. Scientists are also examining the biological dimension of a meaningful life more closely. Emerging research suggests a connection between a stronger sense of purpose and a slower rate of biological aging, observed in areas including epigenetic markers.
Data suggests that younger adults in Poland currently struggle with this area more often than seniors. In the report mentioned earlier, 61% of younger respondents reported having a sense of meaning in life, compared with as many as 90% of the oldest participants. Younger people also reported chronic fatigue more frequently. This is a sign that mental well being deserves attention just as early as diet, sleep, and physical activity.
Conclusions
It is easy to think of relationships, loneliness, or a sense of meaning as less important than diet, movement, or preventive care. Yet these experiences shape how we cope with stress, care for ourselves, and move through difficult periods. To a large extent, they create our everyday lives and influence the years ahead.
Sources:
- https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection/report
- https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf
- https://zdrowa-ona.pl/dlugowiecznosc/
- https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/04/over-nearly-80-years-harvard-study-has-been-showing-how-to-live-a-healthy-and-happy-life/
