The Key To A Healthier, Happier Life Is Good Childhood Memories, According To Study

Jan 03, 2019 by apost team

Ask the average Joe on the street how you are likely to achieve a long life, and they will tell you about the importance of cutting out the calories, engaging in exercise, and giving up harmful habits such as excessive alcohol or cigarettes.

However, one of the many things that psychologists are just now starting to realize would be the fact that reflecting on happy memories from childhood can also help you have a longer life span.

These new findings were recently published by the American Psychological Association and show that those with fond childhood memories - particularly involving their parents - usually do not have depression, avoid chronic illnesses and have better health in general as older adults.

“We know that memory plays a huge part in how we make sense of the world,”

William J. Chopik, PhD said in the news release regarding the new findings.

He also noted that memory was one of the main ways for us to account for our experiences and to make sense of how we should act in the future.

“There are a lot of different ways that our memories of the past can guide us,”

Dr. Chopik continued.

The best way to sum it up would be that Chopik and his associates found that good memories serve to help us by giving people a positive effect on their health and well-being. In a sense, they remember those experiences as positive, and so they want to continue to make healthy choices so that they will continue to have good experiences as an adult as well.

apost.com

The genesis of this study came from some prior work that Dr. Chopik and his team did regarding the overall health of young adults. It was there too that they found that positive childhood experiences contributed to their health status.

However, Dr. Chopik had a question, and I’m sure you would too...do happy childhood experiences also help older adults? After many rounds of study, Dr. Chopik and his team found that they indeed did play a huge role.

You also might be interested in the fact that although the general consensus was that childhood events did not affect adulthood that much this study has proven that just isn’t the case. Yes, having positive childhood experiences do make a difference into adulthood. But what does that mean to you?

First of all, if you have kids, be as affectionate and supportive to them as you can be. Second, make sure to give your kids as much time with their mother as possible. Your efforts will extend for generations when your children grew up to be loving, caring and healthy adults who are also good to their own children.

What do you think about this new research? Post your thoughts here in order to help us get the word out about the positive role mothers and fathers can have on their children - and make sure to pass this along to your friends and family!