Are you someone who sees the glass half full, rather than half empty? Do you always seem to make the best out of a bad situation and see the good in people, even if others don’t? If you’ve been nodding along, congratulations: you’re an optimist.
There’s no shortage of research demonstrating that optimism is good for both your physical and mental health, but did you know that it’s associated with longevity? In fact, one 2019 study found that optimism can extend your lifespan by 11 to 15%, on average, and is associated with greater odds of living to age 85 or older.
So, what is it about optimism that benefits our health and helps us live longer? We spoke to multiple mental health experts to find out.
How are optimism and longevity connected?
More than simply “looking on the brightside,” optimism is “the pattern/tendency to anticipate positive outcomes for future events,” says Christina Ni, MD, board-certified psychiatrist and interventional psychiatry medical director with Mindpath Health.
So how does expecting good things to happen help you live longer? “From a psychological perspective, optimism likely exerts its effects through both behavioral and biological pathways,” says Adrianna Holness, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist specializing in therapy focused on longevity, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and trauma. “Optimistic individuals tend to engage in healthier behaviors: they exercise more, smoke less, and adhere better to medical recommendations.” Additionally, optimism has ties to resilience. “Optimists have improved ability to work through stressful situations and to manage stress regulation,” Ni says.
According to Gary Small, MD, chair of psychiatry at Hackensack University Medical Center, this may involve the link between optimism and effective coping strategies, engagement of social support, and dealing with stressful situations. As a result, optimists enjoy a higher quality of life compared with pessimists, as well as significantly better mental and physical well-being.
“[Optimists] are more likely to engage in such lifestyle behaviors as physical exercise, healthy diet, and stress reduction, which leads to increased life expectancy,” he says. “Previous research indicates that optimists have fewer symptoms of depression and feelings of hopelessness. Optimists also share positive personality traits that are linked to a sense of independence, higher self-esteem, feelings of competence, and extroversion and agreeableness.”
In other words, those who believe that the future holds something positive for them may make more of an effort to be healthier. “From what I see in my work, people who approach life with a sense of optimism tend to take better care of themselves, physically and emotionally,” says Meghan Marcum, PsyD, chief psychologist for AMFM Healthcare. “They’re more likely to make healthy choices, bounce back from setbacks, and stay engaged with others, which all play a role in long-term well-being.”
Is it possible to become more optimistic?
While some people are born with a genetic predisposition toward optimism, science tells us that we can help ourselves and others to have a more positive outlook, Small says. “Optimism is considered a modifiable psychological trait—something that can be learned and acquired,” Ni explains. Both psychological and behavioral interventions can help increase optimistic thought processes, she says.
Learn to forgive
It may be hard, but it’s worth it. “When people hurt us, we naturally experience anger and resentment, but trying to let go of those feelings by forgiving those wrong-doings help us to maintain a more optimistic attitude,” Small explains. “Letting go of grudges will lower levels of stress while boosting positive attitudes. The ability to forgive and forget has been shown to have a positive impact on mood and well-being.”
Try journaling
Simply write down positive events of the day, ways to re-think negative perceptions, ideal outcomes of situations, as well as hopes for current and future events, Ni says. Along the same lines, “mental exercises like meditation can help to reduce rumination over past, current, and future events and creates space for more positive outlooks,” she adds.
Make (positive) friends and keep them
The people you spend time with rub off on you, so try to gravitate towards those with positive outlooks on life. “Socially, surrounding oneself with others who are optimistic, positive, resilient helps to reinforce and model positive ways of thinking and behaving so they become more automatic,” Ni says. Plus, being more outgoing and extroverted can help you gain a sense of empowerment and connection with others, Smalls says.
Limit incoming information
Instead of doomscrolling, reduce your exposure to negative content, Ni says. “On the contrary, conscientiously increasing time with positive media content and personal contacts will continue the positive direction of shifting one’s viewpoints and perspective to a more positive light,” she notes.
One important caveat is that optimism should be realistic and grounded, Holness says. “Unrealistic or ‘toxic’ positivity can backfire, leading to denial or avoidance of important problems,” she explains. “Healthy optimism involves acknowledging difficulties while maintaining hope about the future.”
Along the same lines, it might take a while to develop your optimism, but the experts say it’s worth it. But even small shifts in how we view setbacks or stressors can make a long-term difference in both our mental and physical well-being, Marcum says.
Read the original article on Real Simple
