Personality traits help long-lived people maintain their quality of life

The study involved 125 elderly people aged 71 to 101, some of whom lived in the Sardinian “blue zone” and others who lived in nearby rural areas outside the zone. The experts visited the participants at their homes and assessed their cognitive abilities, personality traits, psychological well-being, health status, and leisure activities. Special attention was given to the five core personality traits (the so-called “Big Five”): extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience.

The main difference between the residents of the “blue zone” turned out to be a higher degree of openness to new experiences. Such people showed more curiosity, were more willing to try new activities and demonstrated more developed emotional competence, that is, they better understood their own feelings and could share them with others. This was reflected in daily habits. On average, residents of the blue zone spent 11.3 hours a week on hobbies and mentally stimulating activities (such as reading or gardening), while in the neighboring area this figure was only 6.8 hours.

Another important finding concerned neuroticism, a trait associated with a tendency to anxiety and negative experiences. It was this trait that was most closely associated with a lower quality of life due to health: the higher the level of neuroticism, the worse people rated their well-being. At the same time, in general, the level of quality of life in both groups differed slightly.

Residents of the “blue zone” also coped more effectively with everyday difficulties, they managed stress better, and this ability correlated with a more positive assessment of their own health. In addition, traits such as conscientiousness (organization and responsibility) and benevolence (a tendency to cooperate and care for others) were associated with greater life satisfaction.

The results are consistent with the Selective Optimization with Compensation (SOC) model. According to this model, successful aging strategies involve recognizing one’s limitations, focusing on activities that still come easily, and employing well-established coping mechanisms for losses. It is likely that the combination of adapting to change and maintaining a positive attitude helps residents of the Blue Zone to cope with daily challenges and maintain emotional well-being in old age.

However, the researchers emphasize that the beneficial strategies used by Sardinian long-lived individuals are not geographically limited to a single region. Developing emotional competence, consciously choosing activities that are within one’s capabilities, and learning to manage stress effectively can be achieved in any location, leading to significant improvements in quality of life regardless of age.

We also recommend that you read our experts’ additional materials on conscious aging.