A sense of purpose may have health-protective benefits including a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline associated with aging.
Living life with a sense of purpose was associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other dementias later in life. Researchers found a sense of purpose was associated with a 19% reduced rate of clinically significant cognitive impairment.
While sense of purpose and cognitive function improved memory recall, sense of purpose alone boosted vividness and coherence in memory.