Mar 10, 2026
3 min read
Many older adults improve their physical and cognitive health over time, defying the notion that aging equals decline.
Cheese and wine aren't the only things that get better with age: Many older people also show improvements in their physical and mental health over time, according to new research.The reason seems to lie in the way they think about aging.
People who had a positive view of aging were more likely to improve their cognitive skills and walking speed.In contrast, people in the study who had more negative beliefs about aging tended to see a decline in these skills.This suggests that people's beliefs can dramatically affect their biology, the researchers say.
"Our findings suggest that there is often reserve capacity for improvement later in life," study author Becca Levy, a professor of social and behavioral sciences at Yale University, said in a statement.
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Levy's previous research has shown that a person's perception of aging can predict their risk of memory and sleep problems, cardiovascular disease, and even biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's disease.
The new study included more than 11,000 adults age 65 and older and was published Thursday in Geriatrics.In 12 years, 45 percent of the participants saw a positive improvement in either their test scores or their speed - a very important aspect of health.Many others saw no change in their cognitive skills during the study.
Specifically, when the researchers averaged the participants' scores, they saw a possible decline in ability as people aged.But on a personal level, that image is not for everyone.
“Many people associate aging with the inevitable and ongoing loss of physical and cognitive abilities,” Levy said.
