How the Whimsy Trend can Scientifically Slow Aging

Maybe you’ve seen the trend going around social media to “whimsify” your day or add some dream-like child essence into our routined lives to spark some joy. 

Presented in the form of ice cubes in your coffee shaped like stars, a delightful onset of vibrant colors, using those sparkly gel pens for your notes that are reminiscent of our younger years.

It’s a lovely way to break us out of the habit of our daily lives and add a little magic into the tasks that we repeat every day. But what started out as a way to spark some joy and have a little fun can actually have positive effects on the way that we age. 

How Does Being Whimsical Impact Aging?

By aging I don’t mean wrinkle free skin, this isn’t a plug for some sort of skincare line that will keep you looking 20 years old well into your adult years (also, we’re past the idea that we can't show physical signs of aging - aging is a privilege and should be treated as such) 

But rather this can positively impact physical markers of age that have the potential to get in the way of our ability to experience the world. Things like vision, cognition, mobility, etc. These are the markers of aging that we should be looking to relieve to continue to enjoy our lives. So how does adding some whimsy into your life achieve that?

Immersing yourself into experiences that are reminiscent of your childhood or younger years can alter your brain in a way that changes the expression of your genes. 

In Dr Bruce Lipton’s book “The Biology of Belief” his main argument is using scientific evidence to prove how the mind can alter the expression of genes through thought alone. 

This topic led to Lipton introducing a famous study conducted by Harvard Psychologist Ellen Langer (the first woman to ever be tenured at Harvard Psychology!) called the Counterclockwise Study.

Turning Back the Clock

In the 1970s men in their 60s-70s were invited to participate in a retreat for 5 days where everything was retrofitted to look like it was 20 years prior (the 1950s). From the decor, the magazines, and the television programs, these men had stepped into a time capsule. During their stay they lived as if the 1950s were the present day. They didn’t talk about this time as if it was a distant past instead they spoke of moments in time as if they were presently happening.

At the end of the study researchers compared previously measured biological markers such as their vision, hearing, grip strength, and memory and found that these markers had improved after only five days. Researchers also noted that they even looked noticeably younger! Some men who entered the study in a wheelchair were leaving walking with a cane - in less than a week!

The Counterclockwise study is proof that engaging in behaviors and thought patterns that you enjoyed in your youth can literally reverse the signs of aging. 

So count this as your sign to see the world with childlike wonder, draw like you’re still in second grade, use those bright colors, and add some whimsy into your life!