A positive outlook makes a tremendous impact on your health, and numerous scientific studies support that every bit of optimism contributes to improving various aspects of your well-being. From fostering an optimal immune system to aiding quicker recovery after surgery or illness, a positive attitude goes a long way.
Heart Health and Blood Pressure
Research has shown that optimism helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels and can even protect against heart disease. A study from Finland revealed that over four years, pessimistic men developed hypertension three times more often than those with a positive perspective. In a separate analysis by scientists from Harvard and Boston University, optimistic participants were much healthier after ten years compared to their pessimistic counterparts, who were twice as likely to develop heart disease.
Boosting Immunity and Warding Off Infection
In 2006, researchers studied the personality styles of 193 participants and then exposed them to a common respiratory virus. The results showed that those with optimistic personalities were less likely to develop the virus’s symptoms than the more negative individuals. Maintaining a positive attitude can keep your immune system working efficiently.
Control Blood Sugar and Body Mass Index (BMI)
A study from the University of Illinois demonstrated that optimists have significantly healthier blood sugar levels than pessimists. The same study found that a positive outlook correlated with managing a healthy body mass index.
Promote Mental Health
Optimism not only affects your physical health but also protects your mental well-being. Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that optimism played an essential role in preventing prisoners of war from developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Improved Recovery
Whether recovering from a minor surgery or battling the impact of cancer, optimism has proven to speed recovery and healing. In one 2015 study, optimistic people experienced less need for hospital readmission after a heart attack. They recovered more quickly and more comprehensively compared to pessimistic individuals.
According to a recent study from the University of Oxford, optimism even has the power to decrease mortality risk. Over four years, optimists demonstrated an 18% lower risk of dying from any cause.
Cultivate Optimism
It’s clear that the benefits of optimism translate to better overall health, so how can you cultivate a more optimistic mindset? Here are a few simple steps:
- Look for the silver lining in every experience, even in challenging or painful situations.
- Surround yourself with positive people since optimism can be contagious.
- Keep a gratitude journal to record daily positive aspects of your life.
- Focus on the present moment and avoid dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
- Concentrate on the things that you can change for the better in your life, and be proactive about making improvements. Learn to accept the things you can’t change.
- Adopt a healing mantra or a positive phrase, and make reciting it a habit.
- Live in gratitude by trying proven gratitude practices.
Maintaining an optimistic approach will not only help you live a longer and healthier life but also provide you with tools to face life’s challenges with strength and resilience.
