Lessons From the Blue Zones
There’s no single way to live a healthy life, but people living in Blue Zones have a few ideas. A Blue Zone is a region of the world where life expectancy is significantly higher than average. These Blue Zones include Okinawa Prefecture, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; and the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, to name a few. And as you might have guessed, we can learn a lot from the people who call these Blue Zones home.
Find Your Purpose
In Ogimi Village, Okinawa Prefecture, elders have a word for living a purposeful life: Ikigai, or “something worth living for.” Elderly villagers cite socializing with friends and family, gardening, art, and karaoke as sources of ikigai in their lives. Residents of Nicoya have a similar philosophy: plan de vida, or life plan, that emphasizes an optimistic outlook on life. In Ikaria, Greece, another Blue Zone, residents find purpose in gardening and growing their own food. While exact hobbies and activities vary, it is clear that there is joy to be found in living with intention.
Social Connection
In a marked departure from the epidemic of loneliness that many have come to associate with contemporary American life, residents of Blue Zones prioritize connection with their family, friends, communities. On the island of Sardinia, elders remain deeply connected with their families well into old age. “Usually there will be two or three generations of family living in the same household,” says Dr. Gianni Pres, who lived on and researched the island. And it’s not just family. Strong friendships, faith communities, and activities are other means of bringing (and keeping) people together.
Stress Reduction
It’s known that stress can cause both short- and long-term damage our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Blue Zone residents practice daily routines that reduce and remedy that stress. Lifestyles are slow-paced and anti-careerist. The social bonds and activities discussed above aren’t passive, they’re prioritized, and they’re accompanied by stress-reducing rituals like “prayer, ancestor veneration, napping, and happy hour.” You might be surprised by “happy hour,” but it’s well known that elders in some of these regions (*cough* Greece and Italy *cough*) like their conversation accompanied by a good glass or two of wine…
Keep It Moving
An active lifestyle doesn’t mean running marathons! In Ikaria, Greece, residents get exercise gardening, walking the island, caring for children and grandchildren, etc. They especially take pride in growing their own food. When they can, elders walk many places on foot. (In some small towns on the Nicoya Peninsula, residents have never driven a car.) Again, communing with nature and engaging in outdoor activities can have a huge affect on your stress level, so take this as a reminder to get outside for a little bit if you can, even if it’s just to lounge in the sun.
Community
Forget that adage “if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” If you want to live with joy and intention, it’s helpful if the people you surround yourself with are doing the same! You might have noticed that Blue Zone communities are strong and often small. Residents aren’t practicing these routines in isolation, but rather side by side. If you want to find purpose, forge meaningful connections, reduce stress, and keep yourself moving, engage the people around you or actively make bonds with people who are doing the same.