Older man working out at the gymYou might imagine that by the end of your working life, retirement would only add to any feelings of being over the hill.

But a new study has revealed that employees actually feel a good ten years younger after leaving work.Researchers from Stockholm University analysed data from 15,000 workers at a French gas and electricity firm and discovered that, though the prospect of retirement left many feeling unwell, the reality was a considerable improvement.

Before you sit back and relax, though, it's worth bearing in mind that these particular workers enjoyed retirement from the age of 55 and were blessed with substantial pensions.

The study found that between the year before retirement and the year after, the risk of workers admitting to feeling unwell, fell from 19 to 14 per cent, which researchers say corresponds to a health gain of eight to 10 years.

Published in The Lancet, the report said: "Put another way, in terms of the risk of suboptimal health, people suddenly got eight to 10 years younger when they retired." They also continued to feel better throughout the next seven years.

These days though, politicians continue to push for longer employment in a bid to limit pension liabilities.

Hugo Westerlund, who led the research, said: "Our findings should cause concern for policy makers attempting to convince workers to stay longer in the workforce."

He added: "Arguably the best option is to redesign working life for older workers to make it healthier and more satisfying than at present and... achieve improved occupational health and quality of life, increased productivity, and a larger proportion of the population in work."

Let us know what you think. Could retirement really make you feel younger?