Be Positive, Live Longer
Do you like yourself as you age? Your daily routine isn’t a burden but an opportunity to be better day by day, is it so? Are you excited about tomorrow and ready for life with zest and enthusiasm? If your answer is ‘absolutely, I am’, then yes, you may have added some years to your life already! Isn’t it incredible?! An optimistic approach to life and positive attitude towards ageing may make you live longer and make you less prone to degenerative diseases. We have looked at a number of researches which reiterate on this point. Let’s check what these studies have to reveal…
A study suggests that elderly who felt younger than their actual age by three or more years had lowered death rate as compared to those who felt their age is more than a year older than their biological age. Thus feeling youthful is really great for you.
Another study says emotional vitality in terms of being hopeful, facing stresses of life with emotional balance, being enthusiastic and engaged with life are all related to considerably lowered risk of heart attack and stroke.
It has also been seen that people who are able to maintain emotional balance during challenging conditions such as suffering from chronic diseases and disability tend to do better and heal faster.
A researcher found that seniors who had negative feelings about aging, were more inclined to lose their hearing power in the course of three years as compared with the seniors having positive opinions about aging.
A study was conducted on women in Harvard T.S. Chan School to know the effects of optimism and pessimism on their health and longevity. It reported that women scoring more on positivity were considerably less probable to die from various main causes of death. Maximum optimistic women had a
· 16% lesser risk of dying from cancer
· 38% lesser risk of dying from heart disease
· 39% lesser risk of dying from stroke
· 38% lesser risk of dying from respiratory disease
· 52% lesser risk of dying from infection
…this was when compared to women who had negative attitudes.
Another study suggests that the participants who held negative thoughts about aging had the same amount of brain decline just in three years as compared to the brain decline that the participants who had positive attitude towards aging had in nine long years.
Based on a retrospective data, a researcher suggests that people with an optimistic view about aging tend to survive around 7.6 years more than people with negative views.
A researcher said, “Feeling younger or older itself seems to have an effect on our health!” Feeling younger had the most effect on the cardio vascular health and made dying from it less probable.
Such strong is the impact of being positive. Why not actually try it?!
Some Tactics to develop and maintain Optimism towards Aging
1. Don’t dwell on a negative feeling, eliminate it
Continuously thinking about a negative incidence which has already happened won’t get you anywhere. Try and get over it as early as possible and get on with your daily routine or engage yourself in a hobby you love such as reading, cooking, painting, gardening, exploring new places, listening to your favorite music tract or playing a musical instrument etc.
2. Emphasize on the positives
Pep up yourself. Feelings such as “I am worthy”, or being hopeful or feeling of fullness etc. are something you should aim at experiencing not only on the outside but inside as well. Pat your own back if you are able to do something even really small. Accept the changes that occur in the way you look or the way you perform things as a sign of getting ‘wiser’ rather than ‘older’.
3. Take negatives, positively
Not accomplishing a task which you have decided for yourself today, does not mean you have failed at it. Use it as a stepping stone, a learning experience and try get ready to try harder. Also, a researcher found that people who avoid dwelling on the negative changes related to aging, usually seem to achieve the best results.
4. Live in the present and focus on the moment
Don’t worry or get stressed about the future or sad about things happened in the past. Instead concentrate on the present moment and enjoy it.
5. Being selfless helps as well
Do some social work or help friends/relatives/someone in need. Helping others also makes one feel very good and positive about life. It may give a feeling of fulfillment and gives a new meaning to life.
6. Prevention
Even if you’re not thinking anything negative, it is good to take care of your health and take such steps that will help you prevent the diseases or disorders that come with aging or otherwise. Such as getting your health checkup done, your doctor’s visit, being physically active, eating right, managing stress — all this helps to help build your positive way of life!
Please Note
For lipid profile and any blood tests or various health checkups in Mumbai, please visit www.healthdekho.com
References
· https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/how-your-attitudes-affect-your-health
· http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov06/healthy.aspx
· https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/feeling-young-heart-may-help-live-longer-201412177598
