Those who fear aging might find some inspiration from a new study out of the London School of Economics and Political Science. After analyzing data from 13,000 respondents, researchers found that Americans ages 65 and older reported being less tired than those ages 15 to 24.

The data for “More Years, Less Yawns” included study participants’ self-reported diary entries of a day’s activities along with tiredness levels for those activities. After controlling for gender, ethnicity, number of children, number of active hours, and the number of hours slept, the study’s authors still found that tiredness decreases with age. In other words, grandma’s energy can’t be explained by her sleeping more or doing less than you did.

The conclusion contradicts the popular notion that older folks are more frail and tired than their younger counterparts. Are you surprised by the study’s findings? What do you think explains the results of “More Years, Less Yawns”? Have you yourself experienced an increase in energy as you’ve moved on in your years?

Guest:
Laura Kudrna, co-author of the study and a researcher and Ph.D candidate at the London School of Economics