Things are looking up for optimists in terms of heart-health and longevity, suggests new study.
Look on the bright side; you might live longer!
Looking on the bright side may mean a longer life, according to new research that suggests optimists not only live longer in general, but stand a better chance of reaching 85 or older. This is not the first time optimism has been linked to health benefits. People who see their glass as half-full have previously been found to have a lower risk of heart conditions and premature death, but researchers now say it could also play a role in living a longer life.
Researchers behind the study say their findings could also be cause for celebration
“A lot of evidence suggests that exceptional longevity is usually accompanied by a longer span of good health and living without disability, so our findings raise an exciting possibility that we may be able to promote healthy and resilient ageing by cultivating psychosocial assets such as optimism,” said Lewina Lee, the lead author of the study at Boston University School of Medicine.
While such a possibility has yet to be tested, Lee noted that other studies have shown optimism levels can be raised.
Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Lee and colleagues report how they analysed data from two previous long-term research projects, one involving female nurses and the other focused on a cohort of men.
The former were assessed for optimism in 2004, with participants having an average age of 70, and followed until 2014. For men, optimism was assessed in 1986, with participants having an average age of 62, and deaths tracked until 2016.
The team split about 70,000 women into four equally sized groups, based on their scores for optimism. They then compared lifespan for the most optimistic with the least, taking into account factors including age, sex, race, education, depression and other health conditions present at the outset.
The results show the most optimistic group of women had a lifespan almost 15% longer than the least.
Similar results were seen in men, even though optimism was measured slightly differently. When the team compared the fifth of men boasting the highest optimism scores with the least optimistic, they found the most positive men had lifespans almost 11% longer.
Source: TheGuardian
An optimistic outlook appears to be a key part of a healthy lifestyle
Research suggested people who are more optimistic might also lead a healthier lifestyle, therefore the analysis took into account factors including exercise levels, diet, smoking and how much alcohol participants drank.
The resulting effects were smaller – although still pronounced – with the most optimistic group of women having a 9% longer lifespan than the least optimistic. The most optimistic fifth of men had a 10% longer lifespan than the least.
These figures remained almost unchanged for women when social life was considered, although for men a clear link to optimism was no longer present – possibly because of the smaller size of the male group.
Being optimistic is not only linked to a longer lifespan.
For men and women it was also linked more specifically to living to 85 or older – “exceptional longevity” when health behaviours were taken into account, with the most optimistic group of women having 20% better odds of reaching age 85 than the least.
Most of the participants in the study were white, and few had low socioeconomic status – meaning more research is needed to see if the findings hold in other groups. Also, income was only considered among the men, and for men and women optimism was only considered at one point in time.
Lee said it was not yet clear why optimism is linked to longevity. “In our study, healthier behaviours, fewer depressive symptoms, and more social ties only partially accounted for the association from optimism to exceptional longevity,” she said, adding there are likely to be other mechanisms at play, such as optimistic people coping better with stress.
Dr Catherine Hurt, an expert in health psychology at City, University of London, said the study highlighted the importance of psychological wellbeing alongside physical wellbeing for living a long and healthy life.
“The results suggest that as well as educating and encouraging people to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly to maximise longevity we should also be promoting psychological wellbeing and the importance of optimism,” she said. “An optimistic outlook appears to be a key part of a healthy lifestyle.”
Lisa Bortolotti, the professor of philosophy at University of Birmingham, added other forms of optimism could also bring benefits. “We can also have biased views of our abilities and our future: we may think that we are excellent drivers, or that we will never get a divorce, when evidence suggests otherwise. These biases can be good too. If we believe that we can attain our goals, we are more likely to persevere when difficulties arise.”
Source: TheGuardian
7 suggestions on how to cultivate optimism
Optimism isn’t something that comes naturally to all of us, and you may find that it takes time to change your mindset. In the meantime, try putting the action before the feeling and faking a more positive outlook. Studies have found that it is possible to trick yourself into feeling happier by going through the physical motions. So, rather than going with your natural instinct, try smiling and laughing more and speaking in a more positive tone. Acting the way you want to feel will help you on your way to becoming an optimist. Here are some other suggestions from RealBuzz.
- Focus on your success
Most of us are happy to acknowledge other people’s successes and accomplishments; however, when it comes to our own, we frequently play them down or ignore them entirely. To start thinking more positively about yourself, you need to regularly remind yourself of what you have – and can – achieve. Stop listening to your inner critic, reflect on your past achievements, and start to really appreciate your success and what you have to offer.
- Focus on the positives
It’s important to remember that it isn’t events themselves that make us unhappy, it is our interpretation and reaction to them, and while you can’t always change events, you can change your response. When negative situations occur, try to reframe them by focusing on the positives or what you can learn from the situation. Maybe you have gained inner strength and resilience, grown closer to a friend through sharing your heartbreak or learned something about yourself. Try your best to focus on what you have learned and gained from your experience rather on than what you have lost.
- Don’t try to predict the future
When things don’t go right in life, optimists tend to view each incident as an isolated event, while pessimists often look out for patterns of bad luck and think “if it happened once, it’ll happen again”. However, it is important not to try to predict the future based on what has happened before. Remember that a plan or relationship failing doesn’t make you a failure and just because something disappointing has happened once (or more) it doesn’t mean it will happen again.
- Surround yourself with positivity
Spending time with negative people who continually see the bad in every situation is a sure-fire way to ensure you continue to feel negative too. To help you stay feeling optimistic, you need to surround yourself with positive people who help you to appreciate the good in situations and in life in general. This also applies to other influence in your life such as music, literature and movies – surround yourself with positive influences and see the effect it has on your state of mind.
- Challenge negative thoughts
Often our negative thoughts are based on little more than our own fears, doubts and low self-esteem. To help you overcome them, you need to constantly challenge your negative thoughts. Next time you start to feel negative, write down what your feelings are then write down your arguments for and against these thoughts. Ask yourself what’s the evidence that these thoughts are true? What’s the evidence that they are not? You could even try purposely acting the opposite of how you feel and seeing what happens. You may find that your negative predictions don’t come true after all.
- Focus on the solution rather than the problem
Pessimists tend to focus on problems while optimists look for solutions. While it is tempting to dwell on your problems or disappointments, remember that this will not change your situation. The situation may not feel great and it may not seem fair, but what has happened has happened, whether you like it or not. Rather than reflecting on what could have been, let go of regrets and negative thoughts, get proactive and start planning where you can go from here.
- Don’t dwell on the past
What’s done is done, and how you deal with the aftermath is the most important thing. There is no point apportioning blame, either on yourself or others. You have the power to change a situation and move on. It is so easy to say ‘I should have done things differently’ with the benefit of hindsight. However, if bad things have happened, look at tomorrow as exactly what it is — a new day — in which good things can happen, if you let them.
Source: RealBuzz.com
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