Health Span vs Lifespan: Which One Do Senior Citizens Really Want?
When my mom was first diagnosed with cancer, all any of us wanted was for her to beat it and live. We couldn’t imagine life without her–she was the warm and loving glue for our family. As time went on and she got sicker and sicker, our attitudes began to change. We still couldn’t fathom a world lacking our mom, but we realized that her pain and suffering made her quality of life abysmally poor. It was clear that a longer life was not a good thing in her case (not that we had any control over any of it…).
While it is true that, like in my mom’s case (rogue, aggressive belly button cancer anyone?), there are health issues we can’t control, we can do quite a bit to make our lives healthier and more enjoyable. I figure I could get hit by space debris at any moment and shuffle off my mortal coil, but until that happens, I’m going to try my best to live well.
Before I go on, I must qualify that no one can look at another’s situation and decide their life is too miserable to live. That is something only they and their loved ones could possibly know. So random mercy killings are not on the agenda.
What is the Difference Between Health Span and Lifespan?
The story of my mother shows the contrast between length of life and quality of life, which defines the distinction between lifespan and health span. On average, the gap between how long we live and how long we stay healthy is 12.4 years. For example, someone could live a total of 80 years but be healthy for only 67 years and change. We are not asking the question of whether that lifespan was worth it in spite of the sickness. We are asking the questions, “what can I do to increase the chances of a longer health span?” and “what if I could be healthier and content?”
Increasing our Chances of Health Span (plus contentment-span)
I gotta tell ya, the thought of living to be 100+ holds no appeal if that doesn’t include vitality and happiness. So how can we boost our odds of those things?
Having things we are passionate about
What lights your fire–makes you come alive? For me it’s family (especially my grandsons), music, research, writing, and quiet activism, to name a few. Research tells us that having something exciting to live for reduces diseases and extends our lives. I read an article about ten long-lived, healthy seniors, and a passion for life is the one thing they all had in common.
Having a good social network
Good relationships and support systems are absolutely essential for our health. Friends, family, and pets can calm and regulate our nervous systems. Hugs all around! Actual physiological benefits arise from positive sociality that make us not only more content, but also more disease resistant and resilient. And speaking of resilience…
Resilience and Adaptability
Life serves us so many curves we sometimes feel like giving up. I have felt this way myself more than once. I may or may not have reacted poorly a time or two. But I know that how we react in
the face of challenges affects our body, mind, and spirit. It is perfectly fine to rage, weep, scream into the abyss, and feel all of our feelings, as long as we then take next steps, adapt, and carry on. It is also good to ask for and get help from others, because hard stuff is easier when we don’t have to do it alone. We rise better together.
Lifestyle Habits
You knew I was going to go here! We know what we have to do in terms of nutrition, exercise, sleep, etc. If any of us have forgotten, just read through our Five Pillars of Health. We also know what NOT to do (probably won’t help our health span if we are a couch potato eating potato chips, mainlining sugary soda, chain-smoking cigs, and never answering the phone or door). It’s never too late to start, one small step at a time, to make our lifestyle more healthful.
Last Thoughts (no, not my literal last thoughts)
All this talk about life and death may feel morbid or mournful, and it can be that, but I prefer to go for gallows humor. We’re all gonna die, and whether we’re struck down by a flaming comet or a flaming hot Cheeto stuck in our throat, the result is the same. However, and this is a big however, while we’re still alive, we might as well have the best, most passionate, most happy, most vital and healthy lives we can. Don’t you agree?
What is one small step you’re taking this week to improve your health span? Could be adding a quick walk, trying a new balance exercise, or calling a friend–but whatever it is, we'd love to hear about it! Share your thoughts in the comments below! If you're ready to dive deeper into your own health span, check out our Getting Started program to begin building habits that stick.
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