Have you ever had someone ask your age, and then be shocked at your response? “You look so young! I never would have guessed it!” I used to hear those comments all the time before I had kids, but I think the lack of sleep and stress of children has aged me a little. It’s definitely been worth the tradeoff, but now a new study reveals that looking younger may mean you live longer.

The University of Southern Denmark did a study of twins over the age of 70. They were photographed, and then took various physical and cognitive tests. The study tracked the twins for 7 years, and found that perceived age was associated with survival. The older-looking twin was more likely to die before the younger-looking one. The research also showed a relationship between perceived age and physical and mental capabilities.

According to the study, “Perceived age—which is widely used by clinicians as a general indication of a patient’s health—is a robust biomarker of ageing that predicts survival among those over 70 and correlates with important functional and molecular ageing phenotypes.” So basically, a younger look may mean a longer life.

By: Jen Mueller