When thinking about how to live longer, you may want to consider getting more education. While many people want to get out of school as soon as possible, staying longer to get more education may mean a longer life than if you stop.
Researchers have discovered a direct correlation between your level of education and how long you will live. They have also found that your age, location, sex, or background does not matter.
Each year of education you receive reduces your risk of death by 2%. After you have completed a high school education, you will have reduced your risk of death by 25%. If you reach 18 years of education – earning a master’s degree, you will have reduced your risk of death by 34%.
When conducting the research, researchers looked at data from 59 countries. One unexpected result was that the benefits of education were no different when a rich country was compared with a poor one. They both showed the same benefits of longevity.
The thinking behind this discovery is that more education likely leads to a better-paying job. With more money coming in, the person will have greater access to health care and better food quality, and they can learn how to take better care of themselves.
When a comparison was made, the researchers concluded that if someone did not go to school at all, the effect on their health and longevity would be the same as if they smoked 10 cigarettes every day for 10 years.
At first, they thought that wealth alone was responsible for a longer life. After more research, they discovered that having money alone is not the key to a longer life. Further research found that wealth did not matter as much, but education was a major factor.
As people get more education beyond high school, they learn more about why obesity can be harmful to your health and what they might do about it. Habits are also learned in college that often stick with students after graduation.
People with more education tend to do more research on their own about health issues. They learn how to treat themselves quicker and when to or not to see a doctor. As a result, smokers and obese people are more common among the less educated, and they also have more health complications because of those habits.
As a result of several studies about education and long life, they concluded that education needs to be made more accessible to everyone. Education can even benefit older people – including those from 50 to 70 years old. Many countries could benefit from higher education levels in terms of the better health it produces.
In the United States, there are many ways to get more education, whether to complete a GED, to go on and get a college degree, or even beyond that. The government will help in some instances, and some colleges are free, or they may offer some free courses. Online college courses make studies more convenient, often letting you work at your own pace.
Education is even comparable to eating a healthy diet. Adding to your life those things known to contribute to a longer lifespan are also helpful. Eating a healthy diet with less sugar, fats, and salt, as well as getting regular exercise, will help you feel better and strengthen your immune system to fight age-related diseases longer. Longevity is always better enjoyed with good health.