Want to live longer? Be optimistic, according to a study

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British satire aside, focusing on the positive aspects of life could easily become the focus of research on a key element of longevity: optimism.

Optimism does not mean ignoring the stressors of life. But when negative things happen, optimistic people are less likely to blame themselves and more likely to see the obstacle as temporary or even positive. They also believe that they control their destiny and can create opportunities for good things to happen in the future.

New study released Monday reveals that the most optimistic men and women had an average life expectancy of 11% to 15% longer than those who practiced little positive thinking. The best-performing optimists also had the best chance of living up to age 85 or older.

The results are true, according to the study, even when taking into account socioeconomic status, health problems, depression, smoking, social engagement, poor nutrition and alcohol consumption.

Become more optimistic with these exercises

"This was the first study to examine the impact of optimism on exceptional longevity, defined as a person aged 85 or older," said the senior author, Lewina Lee, assistant professor of psychiatry at the School of Medicine at Boston University. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study found that women with the highest levels of optimism were 1.5 times more likely to live up to 85 or older, compared to less optimistic women. Highly optimistic men were 1.7 times more likely to live at this age than the most pessimistic. Again, these relationships have remained true even after adjusting for health behaviors.

How can an optimistic attitude help you live much longer?

"Optimistic individuals tend to have goals and confidence to reach them," Lee said. "These goals could include healthy habits contributing to a longer life."

Good and bad, it's the same: a Taoist parable to live

"Optimism is an important psychological dimension revealing really interesting associations with health," said neuroscientist Richard Davidson, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds. .

"And I would add other positive attributes, such as mindfulness, compassion, kindness and the meaning of life," added Davidson.

Do you want to be more optimistic?

Studies on twins show that only about 25% of our optimism is programmed by our genes. The rest is ours and how we answer the lemons of life.

If you tend to be uncomfortable with the stress of your life, do not worry. It turns out that you can actually train your brain to be more positive.

"Some research indicates that some types of training can improve or nurture optimism," Davidson said. "So, this opens the possibility that cultivating optimism and other positive attributes can lead to significant improvements in health-related outcomes, including longevity."

At Davidson's Center for Healthy Minds, researchers have studied the brains of Tibetan Buddhist monks recruited by the Dali Lama and have achieved startling results: tens of thousands of hours of meditation have permanently altered the structure and the functioning of the brains of these monks.

But you do not need to dedicate your life to meditation to see a change, Davidson said. He highlighted the results of a randomized controlled trial of people who had never meditated before.

Using direct measures of brain function and structure, Davidson found that it only took 30 minutes a day of meditation practice over a two-week period to produce a measurable change in the brain.

"When this kind of mental exercises is taught to people, it actually changes the function and structure of their brain in a way that, in our opinion, supports that kind of positive quality," Davidson said. . "And this may be the key to producing downstream impact on the body."

Build a more positive brain

Anyone can do simple mental exercises to develop an optimistic attitude.

Imagine your best self

According to a meta-analysis of existing studies, one of the most effective ways to increase optimism is the "Best Self Self" method. Interventions using this approach will require you to imagine yourself in a future in which you have achieved all your life goals and all your resolved problems.

Why should you write letters to yourself in the future

One technique, for example, is to write for 15 minutes on a future day of your life in which you have accomplished everything you want. We then spent five minutes visualizing this reality. Practicing this daily can greatly improve your positive feelings.

In a 2011 study, students practiced Best Self Self exercise for 15 minutes a week for eight weeks. Not only did they feel more positive, they lasted about six months.

Keep a journal of positive points

Many of us can easily recite a litany of negative things that have happened to us every day. But ask what went well, and we could stumble. That's why keeping a daily diary in which you list the positive experiences you've had that day can help shape your prospects.

Be grateful

Taking a few minutes each day to write what makes you grateful can improve your vision of life. A number of studies have shown that the practice of gratitude enhances positive coping skills by breaking the typical negative thinking style and replacing optimism. Counting the blessings even mitigated behavioral problems among adolescents.

Practice mindfulness

One of Davidson's favorite mindfulness exercises cultivates appreciation.

"Just to remind people of our life with whom we have received some help," said Davidson. "Bring them to the spirit and appreciate the care and support provided by these people."

"You can spend a minute every morning and every night doing it," he said. "And that kind of appreciation is something that can elicit a sense of optimism about the future."

As with exercise, mindfulness will need to be exercised regularly so that the brain keeps a positive attitude, Davidson said. But the effort is well worth it.

"It's really about feeding the spirit," he said. "And much evidence suggests that there are real benefits related to physical and psychological health."

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