Can Joy Improve Health Outcomes?

The conversation around lifespan and healthspan is loud these days. Longevity experts promote blue zones, supplements, fasting protocols, HIIT training and all the latest breakthroughs in aging and biohacking research. Meanwhile, Americans spend billions of dollars annually pursuing longer, healthier lives. Yet one of the strongest predictors of healthy aging receives surprisingly little attention and costs almost nothing to pursue. Joy has a lot of definitions, but I look at it as the culmination of purpose, meaningful social connection, community engagement and positive experiences that make life worth living. While these factors can be difficult to measure, their absence is strongly associated with poorer physical, emotional and cognitive health outcomes. I love how Dr. Kerry Burnight turned this concept of joy into an actual health strategy in her latest book and encourages readers to aim for enhanced ‘joyspan.’ Because why would we aim only for a long life or healthy life if we are consistently miserable within it?

The concept of joyspan is not about being happy all the time. Life comes alongside stress, loss, illness and disappointment, and we cannot avoid these things. Rather, when we intentionally accumulate joy through activities we love, moments of gratitude or awe and meaningful connection, we build resilience for the inevitable challenges. I like to tell my clients to think of joyspan as their savings account. If we strategically add to it whenever we can, it’s there for us when the need arises. In many ways, joy-building is true preventive medicine. It encourages movement, strengthens relationships, reduces stress, stimulates the brain and increases resilience, all without a prescription.

The Joy Formula

One of the most exciting aspects of cultivating joy is that it can align closely with the pillars of lifestyle medicine. Joy-building activities often check multiple boxes at once, simultaneously supporting physical health, cognitive health, emotional wellbeing and social connection. In order to multitask our way into joy, I propose following the Joy Formula. Simply aim to do at least two of the following activities every day, and if you do more than two, it means even more deposits into your joy account!

1. Move together. Exercise is one of the most powerful interventions for healthy aging, and participation rates improve when the movement is social AND fun. Fitness classes at community centers are amazing ways to connect while being active, but socially stimulating fitness does not need to require a membership somewhere. Walking with friends, hiking with a local nature center group, joining a recreational sports team like pickleball or simply jumping into the community pool all combine physical activity with meaningful connection.
2. Eat together. Shared meals have long been associated with stronger relationships and healthier dietary habits. Summer provides an ideal opportunity to enjoy fresh seasonal produce in social gatherings like farmers markets, city park concert gatherings or backyard potlucks.
3. Learn something. Lifelong learning supports cognitive health, fosters curiosity, creates a sense of accomplishment and often opens the doors to new social connection. Take a class in person or online, join a local library book club or try out a new hobby! Community centers, city colleges and craft stores are great resources to start with.
4. Volunteer. Purpose is a critical component of healthy aging, and generous acts of helping others provide meaning, community connection and sometimes even increased physical activity. Volunteering can look however you want it to and can be as much time and effort as you are able to give.
5. Play and laugh. Adults frequently underestimate the value of play. Whether gardening, dancing, traveling or trying a new activity, play reduces stress and creates positive emotional experiences that contribute to overall well-being. Watch a child play for five minutes, and you’ll quickly realize they don’t need a reason to find joy. As adults, we often wait for permission to play. Give yourself permission.

Ten Simple Ways to Build Joy this Summer

Remember that every small deposit of joy accumulates over time, so it’s more about small, consistent actions than trying to plan out entire days of non-stop glee (although that does sound nice!) Try these 10 joy builders in the summer season:

1. Take a daily walk with a friend or family member.
2. Join a community fitness class or walking group. The Wellness Center’s Brain Fit series combines fitness with cognition and has a new cohort starting this summer!
3. Host a healthy summer potluck featuring seasonal fruits and vegetables.
4. Start a walking book club that combines movement and learning.
5. Volunteer one hour per week for a local organization.
6. Eat one meal outdoors each day when possible.
7. Learn a new skill, hobby or language. Consider joining in on a free learning webinar or virtual cooking class at the Wellness Center.
8. Attend a Senior Social Group at the Wellness Center or find a fun group in your local area.
9. Schedule a weekly “connection appointment” with someone important in your life. This can be a phone call or a coffee or lunch date!
10. Practice one intentional act of kindness each day. Bonus points if you don’t even tell anyone about it.

None of these interventions require a prescription, yet each supports multiple dimensions of health simultaneously.