Fewer Health Problems for Seniors With High Self-esteem: Study

Seniors with high self esteem appear to experience fewer health problems as they age, compared to their lonely or self-critical peers, according to a new study.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, assessed cortisol levels and quality of life in 147 older adults 60 years old and older. Previous research has suggested that self-esteem declines in late adulthood, and this decline can cause the removal of a physiological buffer that normally protects the body from elevated levels of cortisol, the hormone primarily released during stressful situations.

If frequently released at high levels, cortisol has been shown to wreak havoc on the human body, particularly in the very young and the very old. Cortisol is released alongside adrenaline in stressful situations to increase the sugar levels in the blood stream and simultaneously suppress the digestive system, reproductive system, and growth process. These systems are unnecessary in a fight of flight situation, which stress causes your body think it is in, even if you are actually just worried about an exam or paying rent. Unfortunately, constant stress will ensure the frequent suppression of these important systems which can prove harmful in dozens of indirect ways.

In the study, researchers met with participants every 24 months over the course of four years. They assessed the stress levels and self-esteem of these individuals through standard questions regarding self-worth. Researchers also measured their cortisol levels, which served as a sure biological indicator of the presence of stress in a participant's life.

According to the study, noticeable declines in self-esteem among participants were accompanied by significant increases in cortisol secretion. The patients who maintained healthier outlooks on life and their own self-worth showed no increase in cortisol secretion and in some rare cases even showed lower levels as they aged.

Considering medical histories and quality of life compared to cortisol levels and self esteem, the researchers were able to conclude that lower self-esteems in seniors led to a much more rapid decline in health, likely due to a lack of appetite and cell growth caused by high amounts of stress hormone secretion.

The study was published in the March issue of Psychoneuroendocrinology.