Introduction
🫐 You can eat blueberries every day, hit the gym three times a week, and sleep a full eight hours, waking up triumphant after seeing your Oura Ring score. 📈💪
But even if you do everything right, there’s no guaranteed protection from dementia yet.
So the question is: what else can I do that will make a difference?
Increasingly, research suggests an answer that is not something you can buy or eat or wear… It’s cultivating a personal sense of purpose 💫.
A new study from UC Davis found that having a strong sense of purpose can lower risk of cognitive decline by 28%. ⏳ By slowing the signs of brain aging, you can potentially extend your health span and lifespan for years to come.
💭 Purpose describes your belief about what gives life meaning. It is the ‘why’ behind your actions, according to an expert in Psychology Today.
Psychiatrist Dr. Alok Kanojia, creator of HealthyGamer, says purpose is not something you ‘find,’ contrary to the romanticized lore: 🌱 Purpose is cultivated. It’s an ‘internal feeling,” and it’s something that can change throughout life.
🧭 Purpose comes from having a sense of direction, he explains in a recent video. We can find direction by taking certain actions.
Based on the psychological framework of self-determination theory, direction, purpose, and meaning can be cultivated by:
🌱 Making your own choices. This is opposed to seeing life as something that happens to you.
🧗♀️ Challenging yourself. Facing things beyond your abilities can increase your sense of self-confidence and direction.
Larry Smith, creator of the viral “six-word memoirs” project and a faculty member of the Modern Elder Academy, agrees. Purpose is agency.
✍️ “You own your story,” he tells me. “No one can take [it] away.”
Purpose as a longevity pillar
In a recent article from Psychology Today, experts suggest that having a strong sense of purpose can lead to a whopping 46% lower risk of dying. ⚰️
And the significance of this study may be equally impactful, providing evidence that there are, in fact, other things scientists could study to protect the brain or slow aging.
“What’s exciting about this study is that people may be able to ‘think’ themselves into better health,” says study co-author Thomas Wingo, a neurologist at UC Davis Health, in the UC Davis article.
During the 15-year study, the UC Davis team followed 13,000 adults aged 45 and older. Every two years, participants completed a survey measuring their sense of purpose. Researchers tracked the state of their cognitive health the entire time.
The results were stark:
💪 People with a higher sense of purpose had a nearly one-third lower risk of developing dementia.
🌎 This trend was consistent across racial and ethnic groups.
⏰ Even those who eventually developed cognitive decline did so at a slower rate, about 1.4 months later than those with less purpose. Small, but powerful.
Purpose might even outcompete brain biology, overriding genetic risk (APOE4 gene).
“Even for people with a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease, a sense of purpose was linked to a later onset and lower likelihood of developing dementia,” says senior author Aliza Wingo, a professor of psychiatry.
Interestingly, a lack of purpose might have a role in dementia. ⚠️
Having a lack of purpose could be a symptom of cognitive decline. In a 2024 paper, researchers found that people who developed symptoms of cognitive decline experienced a marked drop in purpose and personal growth before the diagnosis.
Sense of purpose fell up three years before formal diagnosis.
The decline happened at an even faster after diagnosis.
This indicates purpose isn’t just protective. It can be predictive, both serving as an early warning for serious memory issues while creating opportunities for earlier intervention.
Cultivating purpose
Dr. Wingo offers hope. Purpose isn’t fixed. It can nurtured and strengthened. 💪
Research on the Japanese concept of Ikagai (“reason for being”) can be a guidepost, according to the UC Davis article. When we become more active in certain areas of life, purpose can flourish:
🤝 Relationships
💼 Work
💖 Volunteering or helping others
🕊️ Spirituality or faith
🎯 Personal goals
Strong sense of purpose can also promote healthier behaviors, whether it’s sleeping better, choosing more nourishing foods, being more physically active, or participating in more social activities that “build cognitive reserve,” according to Psychology Today, which summarizes recent findings on purpose for cognitive health span.
This translates to psychological resilience, healthy blood flow, an engaged mind, less loneliness, less risk of depression, and less inflammation and cardiovascular risk.
… what does this really mean? Purpose may slow down the rate of aging.
Quick Poll:
Feels like we all need a little more purpose lately. The Dr. K video has already gained more than 350,000 likes in just seven days.
How about you? Do you feel like you've found a purpose?
SPONSORED BY: CODEAGE
Premium, high-quality products and supplements for your daily routine.
Nourish your body with the best of what nature and science offer. Codeage products are more than just formulas and supplements; they're a lifestyle choice. Shop here
✨ If “cultivating purpose” sounds abstract, here are three ways to start
Write your six-word memoir: Larry Smith’s books and workshops have inspired millions to distill their lives into six words. Try it with this prompt: What is your life’s purpose, in six words? The idea is to contemplate what has been driving your decisions and what makes life feel meaningful to you. 🗣️
Erin’s purpose (as of 8/12/2025): Make others feel: Seen. Heard. Loved. 💛
Stay actively engaged with the world: Volunteer, join a club, mentor, or chat with a neighbor. It stimulates your brain while strengthening social bonds. “Purpose often emerges in interactions with others and the world, not sitting in isolation,” writes psychologist Ali Mostashari in Psychology Today.
Act in alignment with your values: “Pursue goals and strive for achievement in areas aligned with your values,” writes Positive Psychology.
Key takeaway
Purpose isn’t just a concept. It’s a daily practice that can orient you toward living a life that matters to you. It is more than a life goal, a tool that can help preserve your brain and health span. 🧠💪
Future research can deepen our understanding of how it works on our brain, and which practices will strengthen it the most. But you don’t have to wait. When you practice cultivating purpose, you may be awarded with a healthier brain and the ability to make more meaningful memories.
Longevity We’re Loving
What is glutathione? Why pharmacist and expert Dr. Nayan Patel calls it “the body’s ultimate garbage system,” and how it could changing aging as we know it.
Jane Goodall’s secret to a long life. How the legendary naturalist’s life may offer clues about healthy aging, longevity, and living with meaning.
Poll Response
We asked, you answered:
What’s your biggest question about GLP-1s?
How safe are they, actually? And it’s a great question! Especially if you’re considering microdosing them for longevity or anti-aging purposes. Although we have virtually no data about that, we discuss what the research may suggest here.
Thanks for reading!
The information provided about wellness and health is for general informational and educational purposes only. We are not licensed medical professionals, and the content here should not be considered medical advice. Talk to a doctor before trying any of these suggestions.