Managing Emotions In Old Age: The Secret To Well-being

Controlling emotions in old age is an exercise in health and well-being. Interestingly, something that can be seen in several studies is that, in addition to physical and cognitive decline, older adults are, on average, much more attuned to positive emotions. They value social relationships and tend, in addition, to have greater control over their emotional universes.

The Swiss philosopher Henri-Frédéric Amiel said that knowing how to grow old is a masterpiece of sanity, and one of the most difficult parts of the great art of living. It is not easy, without a doubt, to reach old age with the same optimism of a young person who expects everything from life. However, older people are well aware that, in reality, the secret to happiness is not to wait. The real well-being lies in putting your sight in the present moment with humility, simplicity and positivity.

This is what most of the work on geriatrics reveals to us. In old age, faced with the objective deterioration of one’s own body and the progressive decline of one’s faculties, the person enhances a sense of subjective happiness worthy of admiration. The correct emotional regulation in the autumn of life is, therefore, evident in a large part of the population, thus allowing a better adaptation to the reality of aging.

Controlling emotions in old age: latest discoveries

The study of the regulation of emotions in old age is a relatively new field. However, given the increasing life expectancy, it is clear that this population sector will have a great weight in our society in the coming decades. Thus, an essential challenge that we all face is to reach these advanced ages in the best possible condition. And we’re not just talking about physical well-being; we refer, above all, to the emotional plane.

The field of aging research is maturing with giant strides. Just out of curiosity, Dr. Derek Isaacowitzel, an expert in the field of emotions at Yale University, has developed a technology to study attention biases in older people. These are glasses that record these stimuli, which attract your patients’ attention to later analyze their emotional reaction.

Something that can be proven is that  in 90% of cases the elderly adult is much more interested in faces that show positive emotions. This preference, this constant search for a smiling face, a warm look or a kind word helps them to regulate their own emotions. Experts opine that it is as if the brain acts as a cognitive mediator by focusing attention on these stimuli in order to, thus, diminish negative emotions and infuse itself with positivity.

Emotions don’t deteriorate with the aging process

With old age, what happens, after all, is a change in motivations. Long-term goals are restricted to investing in a better quality of life in the present. Therefore, the control of emotions in old age has a very concrete objective, a well-defined motivation: to optimize emotional experiences to enjoy balance, inner calm, relationships with friends and family.

• All of this, in turn, constitutes what is known as the paradox of well-being in old age. In other words, as surprising as it may seem, older people have, on average, greater vital satisfaction than younger people. This is due to these abilities to regulate their emotions, a mechanism that, on the other hand, does not show a parallel deterioration as evident as that of cognitive processes.
• We know, for example, that aging mainly affects the frontal lobes, where our capacity for attention, problem solving, planning, etc. resides. However, emotions and our ability to interact with our surroundings through looks, smiles, and to react positively to affection, are things that remain intact. Something that resists very serious and sad illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s.

Old age makes us more selective

In many cases, when a person is young, he doesn’t put filters on his reality. The individual lets everything happen, wants to experiment, feel with open arms and a willing heart. However, as we matured, we started putting in filters and even fences. Well then, when this limit that leads us to the autumn of life is crossed, a new vision appears. Fences are dropped and filters are more selective. The aim is to prioritize and focus attention on everything that can provide us with well-being, not problems.

Thus, as explained by psychologist and researcher Heiner Ellgring, from the Max Planck Institute in Munich, in his book “The motives and emotions of old age” , the elderly adult focuses his attention on three aspects:

• Enjoy relationships with your family and friends.
• Invest in your health.
• Take care and enjoy your resources (home, garden, field, animals, etc.).

A positive life for the elderly is based on meeting these aspects. Subjective happiness resides in these three factors, the social, relational and affective aspect being the most important. Therefore, healthy aging lies in being selective and having our priorities clear, in a phase of life in which the need to enjoy positive emotions daily is, without a doubt, a priority.