Undoubtedly, the pandemic was a hugely challenging time for everyone and we all had our own separate struggles to face during the various lockdowns… but life did eventually stabilise and we’re now well out the other side, albeit with a few lasting legacies, some good, some less so.
Mental and emotional health and wellbeing, in particular, suffered for young and old as the covid-19 virus took hold the world over – and many of us may still be feeling the effects of this.
For older demographics, however, it seems that there is light at the end of the tunnel, with a new study revealing that they’re happier now than they were before the pandemic emerged.
Published in the Aging and Mental Health journal, the research indicated that going through the health crisis could potentially have given people greater appreciation for more meaningful activities and their close social connections, the Independent reports.
Data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing was analysed by experts, with 11.4 per cent of people over the age of 50 reporting depressive symptoms before the pandemic. Towards the end of 2020, this had risen to 27.2 per cent.
Now, however, figures show that self-reported happiness ratings and all aspects of positive wellbeing improved in a statistically significant way after the pandemic.
Paulo Zaninotto, study lead author and professor of medical and social statistics at UCL’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, said: “While depression is still slightly more prevalent than before 2020, remarkably, overall older people are now happier, more satisfied and have a greater sense of purpose than before the pandemic.
“We can only speculate on the reasons for this. It perhaps could reflect a renewed appreciation for social connections and meaningful activities, as well as increased psychological resilience after a period of adversity. Improved health security following widespread vaccinations could also have contributed to this positive shift.”
How to prioritise happiness
It’s important to remember that happiness isn’t a permanent state and it ebbs and flows in the same way as all your other emotions.
There are ways in which you can prioritise happiness, however, such as:
Managing stress
Minimising stress can make a huge difference to how you feel, so identify your triggers and see what you can do to address them. Stress also brings with it anxiety, unfortunately, and you might find it helpful to practise some breathing exercises to help you get a handle on this.
Follow a healthy lifestyle
Getting regular exercise, eating a healthy well-balanced diet, avoiding alcohol and cigarettes, and making sure you get consistently good sleep will all make a huge difference to how you feel.
Talk it out
Bottling up your thoughts inside can make them spiral and they can really start to weigh you down, which will inevitably have an impact on your mental health. Talk through any of your worries and concerns with your private nurse, or friends and family. You might be surprised at just how good you feel afterwards.
