Over the years, many explorers have set out in search of the “Fountain of Youth” — a mythical place where bathing in or consuming its waters could make one live forever. In reality, these people should have just calmed the hell down.


Aubrey de Grey is a gerontologist, or in non-science terms, someone who studies aging. He’s also known for some less-savory things, but at the moment, we’re focusing on his research into getting older. Throughout his life, de Grey has devoted himself to figuring out what makes people live longer and, he says, how people can theoretically live for much longer than we currently understand.


The first step? Chill out, man!



Per de Grey, centenarians, those who have lived to 100 or older, have one thing in common: They’re just pretty laid-back people.


Lots of data supports at least some part of this claim. For example, in a summary of available research, scholars noted that “healthy centenarians have a resilient personality that has enabled them to find ways of adapting to the difficulties, limitations and changes typical of extreme longevity.” Furthermore, “some studies identify healthy centenarians as active people, with interests, satisfied with their lives, optimistic, cheerful, calm.”



Another study, which looked at “centenarians from Bama Yao Autonomous County in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China,” found that centenarians in the area had “a calm temperament toward life and death.” Easier said than done, but we’ll take it!


Of course, like any study of a specific group, there’s a possibility that cause and effect could be getting scrambled here. Maybe these people are 100 years old because they’ve figured out a way to never let stress get to their heads, or maybe they’ve just had the resources to live a life largely devoid of stressful situations.



Regardless, it seems that, if you want to live forever, getting rid of stressors appears to be a good first step — but good luck explaining that to your boss.