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How A Purposeful Life Increases Health and Reduces Dementia

Life without purpose lacks direction, is meaningless, and is one of the greatest causes of depression and mental illness.

Without a purpose we feel as if our life is slipping away.

Research into Purpose and Dementia

Medical researcher Patricia Boyle and her colleagues have found that older people who have a sense of purpose in their lives are much less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Their study, published in the medical journal Archive of General Psychiatry in 2010 (67:304-310) followed 900 elderly people with an average age of 80 years for up to seven years. They found that those people who had a purpose in their life were two and a half times less likely to develop cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease than those with the least purpose. This is in part thought to occur because of a link between purpose in life and lowered inflammation, which is the cause of many chronic diseases.

This research also showed, in a paper published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine in 2009 (71:574-579), that greater purpose in life is associated with a reduced risk of mortality from all causes among older persons living in community.

Outer-World and Inner-Life Purpose

Human beings require both an outer-word and an inner-life purpose for a full and happy life. An outer-world purpose enables us to create a good life; to build financial security, develop good relationships, and gain knowledge and experiences that help us to grow as a person, to enjoy life. The outer things of life tend to be temporary and to have a limited life span. It is our inner-life purpose that can have a deeper, more fulfilling and longer lasting meaning and value.

Life purpose allows us to be creative and to cultivate wisdom. As we develop more interests and refine our sense of purpose our brain is stimulated to grow connections between neurons. Norman Doidge describes this phenomenon in his book The Brain That Changes Itself (Scribe, 2007). It is only when we engage our desires, interests, intention and imagination that we become creative and grow. We must continue to consciously cultivate this ability. A life without interest or purpose leads to a decrease in the connections between brain neurons, to atrophy of the brain.

Preventative Action

If we truly care for ourselves then it is essential that we take some time on a regular basis and review our goals. We need to ask ”Am I really happy?” and “What do I really want to get out of life?” If we are solely acting out of a sense of duty or obligation, without joy and meaning, then we are at risk of ill health or dysfunction in our relationships.

Yoga and meditation are powerful methods that help us focus upon, cultivate and refine our sense of who we are and what we want to get out of our life. We can use yoga and meditation to identify personally meaningful activities and engage successfully in goal directed behaviors.

This process is fully described in the Master the Art of Change through Sankapla Course.

Author: Dr Swami Shankardev Saraswati

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