Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh have found something that could help older people take better care of their health.
They discovered that how tired a person feels after everyday tasks might give clues about how long they will live. This feeling, called fatigue, could be just as important to watch as other common health signs like blood pressure or heart rate.
In their study, the researchers looked at 2,906 people who were aged 60 or older. These people were asked to imagine doing some common activities. Some were easy, like taking a slow 30-minute walk or doing light cleaning.
Others were harder, like heavy gardening or climbing stairs. After thinking about each task, they rated how tired they thought they would feel. They used a scale from 0 to 5. Zero meant no tiredness, and five meant extremely tired.
When the researchers looked at the answers, they found something surprising. People who said they would feel very tired after these everyday tasks were more than twice as likely to die within the next 2.7 years. This was true even when other things like age, health conditions, and habits were considered.
The researchers used a tool called the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale. This scale was created in 2014 to measure how tired someone expects to feel after different activities. It has been translated into 11 languages and used in many countries, showing that it works well for many people. Because of this, it has become a trusted tool in research about aging.
This is the first study to clearly show that feeling tired after common activities might predict how long someone will live. Earlier research had already shown that staying physically active helps reduce tiredness. But this new study suggests that the *feeling* of tiredness itself—how much a person expects to feel tired—can be a warning sign about their health.
These results are important for how we care for older adults. If someone starts to feel more tired than usual after simple things like walking or cleaning, it might mean something is wrong. Talking to a doctor could help catch a health problem early, when it’s easier to treat.
The study was led by Nancy W. Glynn and was published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. It gives us a new way to think about aging and staying healthy. Listening to our bodies and noticing changes in how tired we feel could help people live not only longer but also healthier lives.
This simple tool might help older people around the world stay strong and well by paying attention to a feeling we often ignore: tiredness.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about how ultra-processed foods and red meat influence your longevity, and why seafood may boost healthy aging.
For more health information, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
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