This Is The Surprising Health Benefit of Staying Optimistic

We’re always told to try and see the glass as half full rather than half empty, but now there is a scientific reason to be more optimistic.

This is how being optimistic can actually affect life span

From positive affirmations to the law of attraction, we’re being fed more and more that the way we think has a direct impact on our lives.

But as recent research shows, there might actually be some substance behind this line of thought.

A recent study conducted at the Boston University School of Medicine concluded that those with a positive outlook actually live longer.

After conducting research over several decades, researchers found a positive correlation between outlook in life and the length of it. In fact, researchers concluded that the subject with great optimism achieved “exceptional longevity,” living the age 85 and beyond.

There are many health benefits to staying positive

The study focused on over 70,000 people (of which, over near to 90 per cent of subjects were female) who were followed for either ten (the women) or 30 years (the men).

Both groups completed survey measures to assess their level of optimism, as well as their overall health and lifestyle habits.

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 years old compared to the least optimistic groups.

Elsewhere, previous studies have shown that optimism contributes to better sleep, healthier hearts, greater mental and physical health in older age and even boosts the immune system.