Speaking at the Longevity event, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized the importance of healthy living and stress management. He noted that pleasure-based happiness is limited by short-term dopamine effects, whereas sustainable happiness, referred to as meaningful happiness, is connected to serotonin and oxytocin. Tarhan stated, “Those who choose meaningful happiness as a lifestyle can always find something to be happy about, no matter the circumstances.”
Highlighting that the immune system is directly influenced by emotions and thoughts, Tarhan also noted that exercise, social bonds, and acts of kindness help delay the aging process.
Tarhan: “Stress is an inevitable part of life. It must be transformed into life energy.”
President of Üsküdar University and Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, spoke at the Longevity event held in Istanbul on May 24–25. He shared insights on the biological and psychological components of healthy living and the importance of stress management.
“Pleasure-based happiness and meaningful happiness are not the same”
Referring to a book titled Hacking the American Mind written by an endocrinologist, Prof. Tarhan said, “The author, being an expert in endocrinology, defines and proves happiness through concepts like dopamine happiness and serotonin happiness. It provides a solid summary of the foundation of the American economy.”
Tarhan noted that the book discusses how a pleasure-oriented lifestyle has become widespread and unfortunately has led to an increase in psychiatric cases. “In summary, it says ‘Those who chase pleasure cannot be happy.’ Yet society constantly promotes messages like: ‘Buy this and be happy, eat this and be happy, travel and have fun and be happy, have sex and be happy, love yourself and be happy.’ But these are not true happiness, and they are just pleasure. Pleasure-based happiness is different from serotonin-based, or meaningful happiness. This is not new. Aristotle said it 2,500 years ago. He defined hedonic happiness as pleasure-based and eudemonic happiness as meaning-based. Pleasure gives a short-term boost and as stated in Latin, stimulates a reward in the brain via dopamine. It feels good and energizing at that moment,” he explained.
For sustainable happiness, choose meaning-based happiness!
Tarhan highlighted that meaningful, or ideal, happiness is related to serotonin and oxytocin:
“Now that we have confirmed biological markers, it is crucial that we rewrite our life philosophies accordingly. Serotonin is already used in antidepressants. These medications aim to increase serotonin levels, but they do not work instantly; their effects emerge after two to three weeks. Serotonin is slow-acting and slowly released. The brains of those who generate meaning release serotonin. This leads to sustainable happiness.”
Tarhan also referred to authentic happiness, a concept developed by Martin E. P. Seligman, and added: “Seligman, the theorist of positive psychology, defines meaningful happiness as authentic happiness. There is not a perfect translation for ‘authentic happiness’ in English, but in Turkish, I believe it aligns best with the word peace (huzur). Huzur implies being ready for the worst possible future. A person who can foresee both positive and negative outcomes and stay calm under stress is truly at peace. Seligman describes this as: ‘The ability to experience the same level of happiness in both prison and a palace.’ Imagine how many people could maintain the same happiness in prison? And not become spoiled in a palace? There is a risk of indulgence in power. When someone gains power, the ‘illusion of invincibility’ can emerge. The person begins to see themselves as a kind of god, becomes closed to criticism, inflates their ego, and turns narcissistic, that is, leading to false happiness. For example, retired CEOs in the U.S. often suffer heart attacks within six months because their happiness was dependent on the status and pleasure of their position. If they had chosen a meaning-based lifestyle, they could have found new sources of happiness after retirement.”
“Our cells listen to our emotions and feelings”
Stressing the importance of the immune system, Prof. Tarhan stated: “The immune system is shaped by our thoughts. You might ask, ‘What does the immune system have to do with thoughts?’ But this is a fascinating topic. The immune system is actually linked to our emotional dialogues.”
Tarhan explained that our cells listen to our inner feelings: “They respond to our emotions and feelings. Our intestines also ‘talk’ to our emotions, as does our stomach. The intestines are the largest organ of the immune system. That is why the ‘brain-gut axis’ is so important. The highest amount of serotonin is also found there. The gut is the first organ of the immune system. We’ve all noticed how stress affects immunity. When stressed, people often experience allergies and other health issues. In literature, this is referred to as ‘immune stress, that is, immune suppression.’ In short, stress suppresses the immune system. This is now scientifically proven.”
Exercise, socializing, and acts of kindness delay aging!
Pointing out that the cardiovascular system, blood circulation, and exercise also play a role, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that "The leg muscles are often referred to as the 'second heart' because individuals who engage in sports and walk at least 5,000 steps a day relieve the burden on the heart. In other words, physical exercise reduces the load on the body. Even Avicenna emphasized the anti-stress benefits of walking and physical activity. However, we now live in an era that promotes laziness."
Highlighting that engaging in conversation is one of the key solutions to loneliness and brain aging, Tarhan continued his remarks as follows, "According to research by John Cacioppo, social isolation, that is, loneliness, is the most significant mortality risk factor for individuals over the age of 50, when cognitive and mental decline begins. In the elderly, loneliness is the leading cause of death. However, elderly people surrounded by their children and family tend to live longer and be happier. There is also a large-scale study conducted by Harvard Business School across 136 countries. This research examined the relationship between philanthropy and happiness among businesspeople. The results show that businesspeople who are generous and charitable report 23% higher happiness levels. In essence, giving does not mean losing, that is, giving means gaining. This reveals an important feature of our brain related to the psychology of kindness."
“Sleeping less than 6 hours increases the risk of dementia”
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized the critical role of sleep: "Disrupted sleep patterns accelerate dementia due to their effects on cognitive functions. Studies indicate that the effects are cumulative. As we age, our sleep patterns deteriorate, making individuals more vulnerable."
He cited a study of 1,000 participants showing that people between the ages of 50–60 who sleep less than six hours have a higher risk of dementia: "That means sleeping less than six hours increases the risk of dementia. However, there is no strict rule that it must be eight hours. According to the literature, six hours of physiological sleep is sufficient. The brain experiences its deepest rest during sleep."
“Omega-3s help maintain cellular membrane flexibility”
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan also noted the importance of omega-3s for healthy aging:
"Anchovy, based on its EPA and DHA content, is among the top sources of omega-3. It’s no coincidence that people from the Black Sea region, who eat anchovies, are known for their strong intellect. Anchovy is genuinely important."
He also noted that Atlantic mackerel is rich in omega-3 and mentioned that krill oil is also highly praised in the literature. These oils help maintain cellular membrane flexibility. Tarhan added that other brain-friendly foods include ginger, garlic, papaya, saffron, cinnamon, curcumin, turmeric, and thyme.
“The brain clears mold-causing substances during sleep”
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stressed the significance of antioxidants for brain health:
"Antioxidants help prevent what I call brain 'mold', which is scientifically referred to as oxidative stress. If oxidative stress is present, the brain essentially begins to mold like a fungus. Free radicals accumulate in the brain and damage tissue."
Tarhan explained that the brain has a glymphatic system, which functions similarly to the lymphatic system in the body: "During sleep, channels open around the brain’s capillaries, the brain slightly shrinks, and a thin membrane near the blood vessels opens. The brain cleanses itself of fatigue substances and free radicals, that is mold-causing elements, during sleep. Without regular sleep, these toxins remain in the brain, leading to brain fog. Our comprehension, perception, and understanding slow down."
“Diet affects gene expression”
Tarhan also emphasized that colorful plates are essential for brain health:
"In areas such as thinking, lifestyle, physical optimization, neurological and psychological optimization, and dietary optimization, consuming a colorful variety of foods is crucial."
Tarhan stressed the importance of walking, stating that walking 5,000–6,000 steps daily contributes to psychological modification and DNA methylation: "These are epigenetic mechanisms. In other words, your diet alters your gene expression. When eating habits become routine, your DNA begins to respond accordingly through colorful plate nutrition. Unnecessary food cravings decrease. If you still crave harmful foods excessively, it means your epigenetic structure is conditioned to them. But with 5–6 months of patience and dieting, we can change these epigenetic mechanisms. It is even possible to enjoy broccoli! You cannot solve everything by suddenly eating broccoli at 60 years old; it’s a habit that must be developed earlier."
“Stress and hardship present both threats and opportunities”
Tarhan emphasized stress management as another crucial factor: "Managing stress is essential for efficiently using the lifespan of our telomeres. What kind of personality will we choose: sponge, Teflon, or rubber? Sponge-type individuals tend to dwell on negative thoughts and anxiety. They attract all problems, negatively impacting both themselves and others."
He went on to describe Teflon-type individuals as selfish and solely focused on their comfort:
"They do not care about others’ comfort and seem relaxed when in control. But as they age and lose physical strength, if they have not developed wisdom, they become fragile. The ideal type is the rubber type, which is known for its flexibility. It is important to stretch under stress and then bounce back. We experience stress, stretch, and then recover. We should view stress not as a threat but as something manageable. It’s not about defeating stress; it’s about managing it. Stress is an unavoidable part of life. We must turn it into life energy. As the Stoics said, every difficulty and stressor has both a threat and opportunity dimension. When we focus on the opportunity side, we can turn the experience into growth. This is known as 'post-traumatic growth.' Every life experience becomes a chance for personal development.
In conclusion, we should view negative events in life not as threats but as opportunities for growth. When we say, ‘Why did this happen to me? I do not deserve this,’ we fail to manage stress, and our telomeres shorten prematurely."
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)