The more youthful we feel, the better we recover.

The more youthful we feel, the better we recover.

As scientists find evidence that people who feel younger than their chronological age are often healthier and more psychologically resilient, the adage "you're only as old as you feel" becomes more and more accurate.

A recent study from Bar-Ilan University discovered that, even in old age, having a youthful outlook can boost the likelihood of full recovery from medical issues. Their research was just released in the Gerontology journal.

Researchers followed 194 persons, aged 73 to 84, who were receiving treatment for osteoporotic fractures or strokes at various rehab centres throughout Israel.

Patients were questioned on their subjective age (how young they felt), feelings, and experiences at various points during their recuperation. Using the Functional Independence Measurement (FIM) exam, nurses assessed their degree of functioning prior to admission and after release.

Whether they had suffered a fracture or a stroke, patients who felt younger at the time of hospital admission displayed improved functional independence when they were released about a month later.

The researchers also discovered that people who felt younger recovered more quickly because they had greater hope for regaining their functioning abilities.

The study's co-authors, Professors Amit Shrira and Ehud Bodner, both of the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences department at Bar-Ilan University, claimed it "confirmed the influence of subjective age at admission on functional independence at discharge."