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Researchers at Harvard University came up with the idea of studying the impact of optimism on life expectancy. Unsurprisingly, this positive mood leads to a longer life and increases the chances of living to 90.
The optimist is not a mood shared by everyone. But those who have it would leave with an additional advantage: they are more likely to extend their life expectancy and increase their chances of reaching 90 years of age.
A study of more than 160,000 women
The researchers rely on a previous study to reach these results, they publish their conclusions in the scientific journal Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. To do this, they collected data from nearly 160,000 postmenopausal women from the Women’s Health Initiative who enrolled in the program between 1993 and 1998.
The women were thus followed for 26 years – or as long as they were alive during that time. In all of them, the general level of optimism was regularly assessed.
An increased life expectancy of four years
The results testify to the virtues of being optimistic:
- The most optimistic women live on average 54% longer, or four years more, than their more pessimistic counterparts;
- Women who are among the most optimistic 25% are also 10% more likely to reach their 90s;
- Optimism increased the likelihood of “exceptional longevity” or living to at least 85 – the average life expectancy being around 80 in the United States.
Good in your body, good in your head!
Optimism, a universal benefit
This study, which includes women from all racial and ethnic demographics in the United States, shows that optimism is universally positive. For the researchers, the exact mechanism has not been identified, but it is probably linked to the fact that a more optimistic life is less stressful and would therefore expose you less to the diseases that are linked (cardiovascular diseases in particular).
In a statement, Dr. Hayami Koga, lead author of the study explains that “findings suggest that focusing on positive psychological factors, such as optimism, is helpful in promoting longevity and healthy aging“.