Why Do Happy People & Optimists Live Longer?
By Paul J. Rosch, M.D.President, The American Institute of Stress Clinical Professor of Medicine and PsychiatryNew York Medical CollegeOriginally published in the Health and Stress, the newsletter (July 2005) of The American Institute of Stress
Numerous studies support the belief that people with an upbeat and positive perspective tend to be healthier and enjoy longer lives than those who are generally gloomy and cynical about the future.
Always expecting the worst was linked to a 25 percent higher risk of dying before age 65 in a very long-term California study of 1,500 healthy pre-adolescent boys who had been followed since 1921. (Seligman ME. Mayo Clin Proc. 2000;75:133-4)
In another report on senior citizens, researchers rated 1,000 Dutch men and women aged 65-85 with respect to their degree of optimism, health and longevity. Over the next 10 years, participants classified as being very optimistic had 55 percent fewer deaths from all causes and 23 percent less heart-related deaths than highly pessimistic controls. These benefits of optimism were stronger in men than women. (Giltay E. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2004; 61:1126-1135)
Stay Happy And Save Your Life
Harvard researchers also found cardioprotective effects when they followed 1,306 men who had been rated for optimism and pessimism based on responses to a questionnaire administered in 1986.
During the next 10 years, there were 31 deaths due to coronary disease, 243 instances of non-fatal myocardial infarction or documented evidence of coronary heart disease and 60 patients had complaints of angina. Men reporting high levels of optimism had almost half the risk of suffering any of these complications compared to peers classified as being very pessimistic.
In addition, a dose-response relationship was demonstrated between levels of optimism and each of the above adverse developments. (Kubzansky LD et al. Psychosomatic Medicine, 2001; 63:910-916)
It had previously been shown that highly optimistic patients had faster recovery rates following coronary artery bypass surgery and were half as likely to be rehospitalized over the next six months for complications or the need for a repeat corrective surgical procedure. (Scheier MF et al. J Pers Soc Psychol 1989; 57:1024–40, Scheier MF et al. Arch Intern Med 1999; 159:829–350)
Cheerful and optimistic heart disease patients were also more likely to live longer than others in a Duke report on 866 cardiac catheterization patients who were asked how much joy they typically felt and completed questionnaires to rate optimism and pessimism.
Over the next 11.5 years there were 415 deaths. It was found that cheerful patients with a positive outlook were 20 percent more likely to be alive than pessimists even after taking into account other factors like smoking and how ill the participants were at the time of catheterization. (Brummett BH et al. Int J Cardiol. 2005; 100:213-216)
Optimism Affects Your Stroke Risks
Optimists and happy people may be less likely to suffer a stroke according to a University of Texas study of 2,478 black and white senior citizens in North Carolina who completed a depression questionnaire consisting of yes or no answers to 20 items.
Sixteen of these were negative pronouncements such as "I felt that I could not shake off the blues, even with the help of my family and friends," "I thought that my life had been a failure" and "I felt fearful." The other four statements were positive: "I felt that I was just as good as other people" and "I felt hopeful about the future."
Baseline interviews conducted to gather information on sociodemographic, psychosocial and health status revealed no history of stroke. Similar studies were conducted annually for the following six years during which there were 340 strokes, 75 of which were fatal.
Researchers confirmed that increasing depression ratings were associated with a significantly higher incidence of stroke. But they also found that for each "yes" answer to a positive statement there was a 26 percent decrease in the risk of stroke.
Thus, "yes" answers to all four questions were associated with complete protection from stroke, which is the leading cause of long-term disability and the third most common cause of death in the elderly. This is one of the few studies to suggest that the benefits of optimism are not necessarily due to the absence of pessimism. (Oster GV et al. Psychosomatic Medicine 2001; 63:210-215)
Get Older, Be Happy
Similar rewards were reported in a study of 600 people over age 50 in a small Ohio town, who, in 1975, completed another questionnaire that included items dealing with attitudes about aging. They had been asked to rate their agreement or disagreement with such statements as "Things keep getting worse as I get older," "I have as much pep as I did last year" and "I am as happy now as I was when I was younger."
When researchers checked to see which participants were still alive in 1998, they found that optimists who viewed aging as a positive experience lived about 7.5 years longer than participants with a much darker perspective. One might argue that people in poorer health would be more apt to have negative responses and also more likely to die over the next 23 years.
However, even when self-reported health, socioeconomic status, overall morale, loneliness, race, sex, and other possible confounding factors were taken into account, a positive view of aging was still highly correlated with significantly increased longevity.
Indeed, this advantage was far greater than that afforded by lowering blood pressure or reducing cholesterol, each of which was found to lengthen life about four years. It was also superior to exercise, not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight that increased longevity by only one to three years.
So why did the optimists live so much longer? The investigators suspected that it might be due to their greater will to live.
Previous studies have shown that people of all cultures are more likely to die in the days and weeks after holidays, anniversaries and other celebrations than they are in similar time periods leading up to them.
They checked back to see how the respondents had answered other questions in the original survey in which they had been asked to choose from three pairs of adjectives (empty-full, hopeless-hopeful and worthless-worthy) that best described their lives.
Those who answered "full," "hopeful" and "worthy" were classified as having a greater will to live.
Although this appeared to have some predictive value, it still did not completely explain why people with positive views lived so much longer so other factors must contribute to this. It was suggested that one likely candidate is how people respond to stress since older people with a negative view of aging exhibited higher stress levels. (Levy B et al. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology. 2002; 83:261-270)
Between 1962-1965, 839 Mayo Clinic patients completed the same questionnaire
Mercola.com
How to Enjoy What You Are Doing, No Matter What
In an ideal world, you would only have to do the things you loved to do, but reality is sometimes far from ideal, forcing you to deal with things that you’d rather leave for someone else.
Most successful people would agree that being able to do well on things you don’t like is essential for success, as consistent performance makes you stand out from your peers.
So, how do you motivate yourself to not only get through it, but actually find some enjoyment in the process? Because remember, you’re more likely to perform well if you enjoy what you’re doing.
Numerous studies support the belief that people with an upbeat and positive perspective tend to be healthier and enjoy longer lives than those who are generally gloomy and cynical about the future.
Always expecting the worst was linked to a 25 percent higher risk of dying before age 65 in a very long-term California study of 1,500 healthy pre-adolescent boys who had been followed since 1921. (Seligman ME. Mayo Clin Proc. 2000;75:133-4)
In another report on senior citizens, researchers rated 1,000 Dutch men and women aged 65-85 with respect to their degree of optimism, health and longevity. Over the next 10 years, participants classified as being very optimistic had 55 percent fewer deaths from all causes and 23 percent less heart-related deaths than highly pessimistic controls. These benefits of optimism were stronger in men than women. (Giltay E. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2004; 61:1126-1135)
Stay Happy And Save Your Life
Harvard researchers also found cardioprotective effects when they followed 1,306 men who had been rated for optimism and pessimism based on responses to a questionnaire administered in 1986.
During the next 10 years, there were 31 deaths due to coronary disease, 243 instances of non-fatal myocardial infarction or documented evidence of coronary heart disease and 60 patients had complaints of angina. Men reporting high levels of optimism had almost half the risk of suffering any of these complications compared to peers classified as being very pessimistic.
In addition, a dose-response relationship was demonstrated between levels of optimism and each of the above adverse developments. (Kubzansky LD et al. Psychosomatic Medicine, 2001; 63:910-916)
It had previously been shown that highly optimistic patients had faster recovery rates following coronary artery bypass surgery and were half as likely to be rehospitalized over the next six months for complications or the need for a repeat corrective surgical procedure. (Scheier MF et al. J Pers Soc Psychol 1989; 57:1024–40, Scheier MF et al. Arch Intern Med 1999; 159:829–350)
Cheerful and optimistic heart disease patients were also more likely to live longer than others in a Duke report on 866 cardiac catheterization patients who were asked how much joy they typically felt and completed questionnaires to rate optimism and pessimism.
Over the next 11.5 years there were 415 deaths. It was found that cheerful patients with a positive outlook were 20 percent more likely to be alive than pessimists even after taking into account other factors like smoking and how ill the participants were at the time of catheterization. (Brummett BH et al. Int J Cardiol. 2005; 100:213-216)
Optimism Affects Your Stroke Risks
Optimists and happy people may be less likely to suffer a stroke according to a University of Texas study of 2,478 black and white senior citizens in North Carolina who completed a depression questionnaire consisting of yes or no answers to 20 items.
Sixteen of these were negative pronouncements such as "I felt that I could not shake off the blues, even with the help of my family and friends," "I thought that my life had been a failure" and "I felt fearful." The other four statements were positive: "I felt that I was just as good as other people" and "I felt hopeful about the future."
Baseline interviews conducted to gather information on sociodemographic, psychosocial and health status revealed no history of stroke. Similar studies were conducted annually for the following six years during which there were 340 strokes, 75 of which were fatal.
Researchers confirmed that increasing depression ratings were associated with a significantly higher incidence of stroke. But they also found that for each "yes" answer to a positive statement there was a 26 percent decrease in the risk of stroke.
Thus, "yes" answers to all four questions were associated with complete protection from stroke, which is the leading cause of long-term disability and the third most common cause of death in the elderly. This is one of the few studies to suggest that the benefits of optimism are not necessarily due to the absence of pessimism. (Oster GV et al. Psychosomatic Medicine 2001; 63:210-215)
Get Older, Be Happy
Similar rewards were reported in a study of 600 people over age 50 in a small Ohio town, who, in 1975, completed another questionnaire that included items dealing with attitudes about aging. They had been asked to rate their agreement or disagreement with such statements as "Things keep getting worse as I get older," "I have as much pep as I did last year" and "I am as happy now as I was when I was younger."
When researchers checked to see which participants were still alive in 1998, they found that optimists who viewed aging as a positive experience lived about 7.5 years longer than participants with a much darker perspective. One might argue that people in poorer health would be more apt to have negative responses and also more likely to die over the next 23 years.
However, even when self-reported health, socioeconomic status, overall morale, loneliness, race, sex, and other possible confounding factors were taken into account, a positive view of aging was still highly correlated with significantly increased longevity.
Indeed, this advantage was far greater than that afforded by lowering blood pressure or reducing cholesterol, each of which was found to lengthen life about four years. It was also superior to exercise, not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight that increased longevity by only one to three years.
So why did the optimists live so much longer? The investigators suspected that it might be due to their greater will to live.
Previous studies have shown that people of all cultures are more likely to die in the days and weeks after holidays, anniversaries and other celebrations than they are in similar time periods leading up to them.
They checked back to see how the respondents had answered other questions in the original survey in which they had been asked to choose from three pairs of adjectives (empty-full, hopeless-hopeful and worthless-worthy) that best described their lives.
Those who answered "full," "hopeful" and "worthy" were classified as having a greater will to live.
Although this appeared to have some predictive value, it still did not completely explain why people with positive views lived so much longer so other factors must contribute to this. It was suggested that one likely candidate is how people respond to stress since older people with a negative view of aging exhibited higher stress levels. (Levy B et al. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology. 2002; 83:261-270)
Between 1962-1965, 839 Mayo Clinic patients completed the same questionnaire
Mercola.com
How to Enjoy What You Are Doing, No Matter What
In an ideal world, you would only have to do the things you loved to do, but reality is sometimes far from ideal, forcing you to deal with things that you’d rather leave for someone else.
Most successful people would agree that being able to do well on things you don’t like is essential for success, as consistent performance makes you stand out from your peers.
So, how do you motivate yourself to not only get through it, but actually find some enjoyment in the process? Because remember, you’re more likely to perform well if you enjoy what you’re doing.
This Lifehack article offers six great tips that can help you find your sweet spot, no matter what you’re doing.
- Look at the long-term benefit – Keep your eye on the future, and how this activity can benefit you later.
- Find what you can learn from it – There’s always something you can learn from any situation. If you really can’t think of anything, at least it can teach you to be persistent no matter what, which is a valuable lesson in and of itself.
- Think of doing it for someone you love
- Enjoy your interactions with other people
- Think and say something positive – Self-talk can make you or break you here. Focus on thinking and saying positive things, such as what a great learning experience this is, or how much you enjoy the people you’re working with, for example.
- Gather with passionate people – Although you might hate the activity, others may be quite passionate about it. Whenever you can, choose to be infected by others’ positive energy.
Having a positive attitude is equally important when it comes to optimizing and maintaining your good health. Choosing to be happy is very easy to say but may be difficult to put into practice in the real world. Nevertheless, the benefits to your health -- both mental and physical -- are very real, but it will take some effort to get there.
If you're struggling with a negative attitude, one of the best and most effective natural treatments at your disposal -- the Emotional Freedom Technique -- has nothing to do with a one-pill-cure and everything to do with removing the cause or reason why you may be self sabotaging yourself with limiting beliefs.
You tend to manifest what you believe, and most of us have some pretty wacky beliefs that ruin our happiness on a regular basis. If you haven't yet taken advantage of EFT I would strongly encourage you to do so.
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