People on the Japanese island of Okinawa are among the planet’s longest-lived. One factor for this is that they tend to eat a highly nutritious, plant-based diet. But another is more psychological and has to do with having meaning and purpose in life – what the Japanese call ikigai.
Many studies suggest there are benefits to having ikigai. For instance, a team at Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine surveyed over 40,000 adults twice over a period of seven years.
The participants who said they had ikigai at the start of the study were less likely to have died before the end of the study.
Other research has linked ikigai to speedier recovery from knee surgery; having fewer biological markers of stress; better immune system functioning; a higher chance of surviving heart attack; and feeling more in control of one’s health.
If you want to embrace ikigai, a good starting point is to consider what truly matters to you in life and then aim to make that more of a priority. Try to do things that bring their own, intrinsic rewards (instead of things to gain some kind of external reward, such as money or status).
Of course, we all have bills to pay and other life responsibilities, so an important part of achieving ikigai is to try to find meaning in your work and daily tasks.
This might involve reflecting on the deeper purpose of what you already do and how it aligns with what matters to you. It might require changing what you do in life to better align with your priorities.
Some experts call this approach ‘life crafting’ – spending time thinking about the kind of meaningful work, pastimes and relationships you want, and then setting goals for how to make them a reality.
Another aspect of ikigai is appreciating the joy in life’s small moments, whether it’s the sight of the morning sky or the taste of your tea in the afternoon.
It also helps to feel that you’re part of something meaningful that’s larger than yourself. To foster this aspect of ikigai, you could make a conscious effort to make more time for family, volunteer for a local charity, or join a local club or team.
The aim of these steps is to give you a sense of purpose and direction – and to spend more time doing what you care about. If you can achieve this, the research on ikigai suggests your health will benefit and you might even live longer.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Laurie Franklin, via email) 'Can embracing the Japanese concept of ikigai help me live longer?'
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