The truth about optimists
Are you a glass-half-full or a glass-half-empty person? There’s always been a lot going for a glass-half-full life and now there’s even more.
After decades of research, a new study has linked optimism with prolonged life.
Researchers from Boston University, the Boston Healthcare System and Harvard’s School of Public Health have found that individuals with greater optimism are more likely to achieve “exceptional longevity”, that is, living to 85 or older.
A ScienceDaily report describes optimism as “a general expectation that good things will happen, or believing that the future will be favourable because we can control important outcomes”. It says that while there is much research into identifying risk factors that increase the likelihood of diseases and premature death, much less is known about positive psychosocial factors that can promote healthy ageing.
The study was based on 69,744 women and 1429 men. Both groups completed survey measures to assess their level of optimism, as well as their overall health and health habits such as diet, smoking and alcohol use. Women were followed for 10 years, while the men were followed for 30 years.
When individuals were compared based on their initial levels of optimism, the researchers found that the most optimistic men and women demonstrated, on average, an 11 to 15 per cent longer lifespan, and had 50–70 per cent greater odds of reaching 85 compared with the least optimistic groups. The results were maintained after accounting for age, demographic factors such as educational attainment, chronic diseases, depression and also health behaviours, such as alcohol use, exercise, diet and primary care visits.
“While research has identified many risk factors for diseases and premature death, we know relatively less about positive psychosocial factors that can promote healthy ageing,” explained Dr Lewina Lee, study co-author clinical research psychologist. “This study has strong public health relevance because it suggests that optimism is one such psychosocial asset that has the potential to extend the human lifespan. Interestingly, optimism may be modifiable using relatively simple techniques or therapies.”
For any interested parties..some really good research to peruse..
Neuroscientists have now found the brain area responsible for pessimism. The new research suggests that both anxiety and depression are caused by an overstimulation of the caudate nucleus.
These disorders often come with negative moods triggered by a pessimistic reaction, and if scientists can figure out how to control that reaction, we might stand a better chance of dealing with the neuropsychiatric problems that affect millions of people worldwide – and maybe discover the difference between glass half full and glass half empty people along the way.
The research team from MIT found that when the caudate nucleus was artificially stimulated in macaques, the animals were more likely to make negative decisions, and consider the potential drawback of a decision rather than the potential benefit.
This pessimistic decision-making continued right through the day after the original stimulation, the researchers found...read on..
https://www.sciencealert.com/we-found-the-brain-region-for-pessimism
https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(18)30596-8
Now if this isn't the most glorious example of a "glass being half full" and more..what is?
Meet Nick Vujicic whom many would have seen on 60 minutes last evening..
Think as humans it’s possibly reasonably healthy to honour and process realistically through all sorts of emotions given a whole range of life circumstances that we may confront during the course of a human lifespan - rather than privileging a few ie. optimism.
Have never had great rapport with the ‘Pollyannas’ of the world who almost tyrannically insist that we must ‘always look on the bright side of life and think flamin’ positive’ so to speak - and to show anything else but is somehow regarded as personal flaws or character weaknesses..
We are human we process a multitude of complex emotions - optimism being just one of them..But of course things like exercise, good nutrition, sleep, reflection, mindfulness, meditation, breathing exercises etc. are beneficial in maintaining mental health that allows us to cope with the calamities of life when come around..
A good read if you get a chance is a book by Dr. Russ Harris entitled ‘The Happiness Trap’...
Actually not sure I know why some people live longer than others and seem to be getting different messages every other day..
Guess all we can do is be the best we can be on good and bad days and everything in between,