How To Live To Be 100

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

June 16, 1999 / 11:59 AM EDT / CBS

A new Census Bureau report estimates that there are now nearly 70,000 Americans age 100 or older. Dr. Thomas Perls, a principal investigator for the New England Centenarian Study, was intrigued when he realized how active and good-humored some of those centenarians are. He decided to take a closer look. The result is a book by Dr. Perls and Margery Silver, Living To 100. They joined CBS This Morning to share what they learned.

Like many other people, Perls says, he believed that quality of life could only go down hill the longer you lived. Meeting, examining, and talking with centenarians soon changed that perception.

MORE ON THIS STORY:

For details of the census report, see America's Longevity Belt.
To learn what the authors of Living To 100 found in researching their book, see How To Live To Be 100.
To meet centenarian Caroline Peery, see One Centenarian's Life.

Here are some traits that Dr. Perls found centenarians have in common:

An optimistic nature, and a tendency not to dwell on the negative.
A great sense of humor.
A lifelong history of handling emotional stress very well.
A large support network of family and friends.

Many of the centenarians he spoke to cited their 70s as the best time of their lives. They were enjoying their grandchildren, exploring new interests and activities, and some even embarked on new careers. They saw their old age as an opportunity, not a curse.

Dr. Perls was most surprised by how healthy the centenarians were. They were relatively virile, healthy and in good spirits. He noticed that they physically aged very slowly. And when it was their time to die, they died quickly without prolonged periods of illness.

He admits that most centenarians live to such old age because they have great genes. Looking at their family histories, many centenarians can cite a few relatives who lived into their late 90s and beyond.

But, Dr. Perls also says, everybody has the genes to live into their mid to late 80s. If you have a family history of death at an early age, it's a sign to you to pay more attention to your habits and lifestyle, and change them.

Silver focused on the personalities and thinking abilities of the centenarians. Through testing and personal interviews she learned that a significant number of the centenarians had excellent cognitive abilities.

She also found that the centenarians in the study had huge networks of friends and family that keep them constantly busy. They were the type of people that naturally drew others to them.

Since researching the book, Silver has felt more hopeful about her own future, she says. These centenarians taught her that, at 66, she has a lot to look orward to.

Here are the three things Silver says people should adopt from the centenarian lifestyle:

Constantly exercise the brain by learning new things. It helps build up new connections and pathways in the brain which creates reserves of brain cells.
Realize the importance of managing your stress. It has long term physical and mental implications.
Cultivate social relationships. Having a great network of friends and family leads to a longer and happier life.