Want to be healthier in 2018? Research out of St. Louis says ‘find your purpose’

If you plan to start the new year with a healthy attitude, you are not alone. In fact, to eat better (37 percent) and exercise more (37 percent) are two of the highest priorities on the list of new year’s resolution in 2018. Living a healthier lifestyle is unquestionably a great ambition, with many benefits, but for many Americans, it’s easier said than done, impacted by a prodigious list of factors. However, new research out of Washington University in St. Louis has found one unique trait which can encourage you to make healthier lifestyle choices. According to the research, participants with a higher sense of purpose make healthier lifestyle choices and felt better about their own health status. “Our analysis found that participants’ sense of purpose was positively associated with their reports of both vigorous and moderate activity, vegetable intake, flossing, and sleep quality,” said the study’s lead author Patrick Hill, assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences in Arts & Sciences, reports the Washington University’s theSOURCE. The study analyzed 749 people, with an average age of 60, using surveys in a longitudinal study of personality and health, conducted in Hawaii. These participants were first surveyed as elementary school students on the islands of Oahu and Kauai. Following the first survey, each participant was then contacted every two years as adults to continue filling out these recurring surveys. “Participants reporting a higher sense of purpose also reported a greater likelihood to enact all health behaviors of interest and higher self-rated health,” Hill said. “Overall, these findings point to the importance of considering healthy lifestyle habits as a prominent explanation for why purposeful individuals experience better health outcomes.” This new discovery follows a large body of research which suggest having a sense of purpose comes with many benefits. For example, a 2014 study, also conducted by Patrick Hill, found that people who feel they have a purpose in life live longer. For those who have a deeply entrenched sense of purpose, this is undeniably fantastic news. Although for anyone struggling to find their path in life, this might sound slightly disheartening.