If You’re Happy & You Know It…

If you’re HAPPY and you know it, clap your hands --- because you certainly deserve a round of applause! Not only are happy people dishing out lots of good karma to the universe (which I, for one, appreciate) but they may also be adding several years to their lives!

So, today I gave a quiz to one Nicoyan resident and to one Quest team member to see who was the happiest. Sure, you can't really tell much from interviewing just one person, but my survey says...it’s a tie!! It just so happens that I chanced upon two very happy people today! And, I also chanced upon an important realization --- measuring happiness is no easy task. In the lingo of social scientists, happiness is referred to as “subjective well-being.” In other words, how happy you are in any given moment is relative to a plethora of circumstances. In order to really determine a person’s happiness, it’s best to interview them several times over a series of years. Unfortunately for me, I only had one day!

But, no worries --- it just so happens there is research out there that can help explain Nicoya’s happiness-longevity link.

That’s because, despite the complexity of understanding happiness, many researchers agree that our subjective well-being is heavily influenced by at least three factors: love, faith and a sense of purpose. In fact, almost all of the nonaegarians we’ve met here in Nicoya possess these happiness basics.

Faith If you were able to check out Tuesday’s video, you learned that having a strong sense of spirituality can potentially add a few years to your life. ALL of the centenarians that our team of researchers interviewed reported being spiritual and regularly attend religious services. People who believe in God are more likely to meditate, refrain from risky behavior, have lower stress levels and, according to a study by the Pew Research Foundation, are on average 43 percent happier than those who believe in nothing at all.

Love In terms of love, most nonagearians are regularly surrounded by generations of extended family and, sometimes, life-long friends. Last week, for example, I visited a town where I met five generations from one family – all living within a one mile radius. In Nicoya, this type of closeness is essential. As a result, each family member has an accessible support system, generally full of comfort, dependability and love. According to the International Research Centre for Healthy Ageing and Longevity, being surrounded by love increases longevity by slowing down your biological clock. When you are enjoying something you love – work, family, life – you don’t notice that time is slowly passing by.

Purpose The combination of having a loving family and a strong sense of faith provides Nicoya’s elderly with what is referred to as a “Plan de Vida” --- a life plan or sense of purpose. Remaining an integral part of the family structure keeps people going. Studies have shown that by keeping an alert mind, an individual is more likely to maintain a healthy life. Simply put, a healthy life equals a more positive life --- and research in the Personality and Social Psychology journal found that people with positive self-perceptions have lived more than seven years longer.

If I had to select one slogan that really epitomizes the cheerfulness of the Tico lifestyle, it would definitely be “Pura Vida," a phrase literally meaning "Pure Life." This saying, which expresses tranquility, happiness, and general satisfaction with life, is commonly used in Costa Rica when greeting friends, family and even strangers. Today I tried to keep a tally of the number of "Pura Vidas" I received on the road, and lost count after about fifty! At one point, with cameras and equipment in tow, I passed a small group of elementary school children and stopped to ask what message they would send to US students their age…. “Pura Vida!” they screamed in unison, smiling and waving into the lens.

Like I said before, if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! And if you're not, well, perhaps you should probably take these kids’ advice --- especially since an international survey on World Happiness only ranked the US 150th of the world’s happiest places to live. That’s not far from the bottom. Costa Rica ranked third! Perhaps a dose of “Pura Vida” might be just the longevity tool you need.

Love life, live longer

Sabriya

PS Over the past two weeks, we've searched the Nicoya peninsula for clues as to why people--especially men--are the longest lived in the world. In each Daily Dispatch and Video, we tried to include at least one new piece of evidence. Click here to vote for up to 8 factors that you think are most important.