Living Longer Isn't Just About Diet and Exercise
Diet and exercise get most of the attention when we talk about longevity. But fascinating new research from Sardinia suggests there may be another piece of the puzzle: personality.
Published in the International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology in July 2026, the study, by researchers including Maria Chiara Fastame from the University of Cagliari, looked at 125 adults aged 71–101 living in Sardinia’s famous Blue Zone and a nearby non-Blue-Zone rural area.
The researchers found that the Blue Zone group showed higher openness to experience, along with better coping skills, greater emotional competence, and more involvement in mentally and physically stimulating activities.
One particularly interesting finding was how much time they devoted to these activities. Blue Zone participants averaged around 11.3 hours a week on hobbies and mentally stimulating activities, compared with 6.8 hours in the comparison group.
Perhaps one of the lessons from Sardinia is that healthy ageing isn’t only about looking after our bodies. Staying curious, engaged and interested in the world around us may matter too.