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Posts Tagged ‘optimism’

How Happiness Protects Heart Health

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , , , , on July 13, 2021| 2 Comments »

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. When people think about heart health, they often think about the impact of diet and exercise. However, a growing body of research has also established a connection with positive thinking, optimism, and happiness.

For example, do you tend to view the cup as half empty or half full? If you view the cup as half full, you are less likely to develop heart disease than if you view the cup as half empty. While negative emotions such as depression and anger are risk factors for heart disease, optimism and happiness seem to protect the heart.

In one study, people with the most negative emotions had the highest risk for heart disease while people who scored highest for happiness had the lowest risk. In another study, women with the highest levels of optimism had a 38% lower risk of death from heart disease than those with negative attitudes. In this study, optimism was defined as feeling hopeful and confident about the future.

Cheerful diverse people together in a park

How can the connection between positive psychology and heart health be explained? Three possible explanations are:

  1. Lifestyle: Happy people tend to sleep better, eat better, smoke less, and get more exercise; all behaviors that lower the risk of heart disease.
  2. Physiology: Happiness produces positive chemical changes and reduces stress hormones.
  3. Genetics: People who are predisposed to happiness may also be predisposed to have lower rates of heart disease.

If you tend to see the cup half empty, don’t despair! Research suggests that negative people feel happier when they:

  • Express gratitude on a regular basis.
  • Practice being optimistic.
  • Initiate random acts of kindness.
  • Engage in mindfulness activities.
  • Visualize their best self.
  • Savor joyful events.
  • Practice forgiveness.
  • Get outside.

Medical professionals advocate that you should devote 15 to 20 minutes a day doing something that brings you joy. What can you commit to doing every day to increase your happiness and take care of your heart at the same time? We would love to hear your ideas and plans.

If you still find yourself searching for happiness but not quite achieving it, you should reach out and talk to a health care professional. Together, you should consider environmental factors that could be impacting you, such as your diet, lack of sleep, or potential mental health side effects from medication.

To learn more about the importance of happiness and your health, join us for Happiness 101 on August 25, 2021 at 12noon. To register for this free, 30-minute Wellness Wednesday Webinar sponsored by Live Healthy Live Well, visit: go.osu.edu/WellnessWeds

Written by: Laura Stanton, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Warren County, stanton.60@osu.edu.

Reviewed by: Pat Brinkman, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Fayette County, brinkman.93@osu.edu.

References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, September 8). Heart Disease Facts. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm

Davidson, K. W., Mostofsky, E., & Whang, W. (2010). Don’t worry, be happy: positive affect and reduced 10-year incident coronary heart disease: the Canadian Nova Scotia Health Survey. European Heart Journal, 31(9), 1065–1070. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862179

Kim, E. S., Hagan, K. A., Grodstein, F., DeMeo, D. L., De Vivo, I., & Kubzansky, L. D. (2017). Optimism and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 185(1), 21–29. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5209589

Kraft, T. L., & Pressman, S. D. (2012). Grin and Bear It: The Influence of Manipulated Facial Expression on the Stress Response. Psychological Science, 23(11), 1372–1378. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612445312

Pitt, B. & Deldin, P.J. (2010). Depression and cardiovascular disease: have a happy day—just smile!, European Heart Journal, 31(9), 1036–1037. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehq031

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Want to Make More Money and Live Longer? Be positive!

Posted in Healthy People, Healthy Relationships, tagged , , on February 6, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Did you know that people who are happier live 7 to 10 years longer? And happy employees miss up to 15 less days of work each year and recover from their illnesses earlier? The power of being positive is growing in both research findings and popular press. Numerous research studies have concluded that positive thinking can improve your health by:

  • Lowering rates of depression and levels of distressMP900386362
  • Reducing risks of heart disease
  • Providing resistance to the common cold

Thinking positive thoughts doesn’t mean you ignore unpleasant things that happen in your life; instead you look at those things as an opportunity to improve and presume that the best outcome is going to happen. So are you a glass half-full or half-empty (positive or negative) person? I admit this is an area I have been trying to watch in my own life. I know people who are negative much of the time and they aren’t fun to be around. What can we all do to be more positive?

  • Stop using negative thoughts and words. When you catch yourself being negative – take a break.
  • Surround yourself with positive people. Seek out friends and co-workers who are positive and reduce the time you spend with those who are negative. Now, if your mother is the negative one, that doesn’t mean you never have to see her again, but try to change or direct conversations with her to reflect a more positive slant.
  • Read inspiring books or blogs, and follow people who use positive thinking on Twitter or Facebook. Buy a thought-of-the-day book with a positive theme or get out your old Chicken Soup books and read them again.
  • Watch TV shows, movies, or even YouTube video’s that make you happy and laugh.
  • Be physically active – it is amazing what a few 10 minute fitness breaks can do to improve your attitude (and your health).
  • Institute a “no complaining rule” at your office or with your family. When someone doesn’t like a new policy, encourage them to think of it as a way to learn something new. Or rather than complaining about something, think of possible alternatives. You may need to try some “no complaining” days first, rather than going cold-turkey.
  • Model positive actions and words with others. Set an example for your co-workers, family, and friends. Remember, children and teens will follow the example you set.

As one of my favorite positive speakers/authors Jon Gordon says “Be positively contagious”, rather than letting your negative energy infect others. If you are having a really negative day, everyone might be better served if you take a sick day for an “attitude adjustment.” In the same way that you would not want to infect co-workers with a cold or flu, you don’t want your pessimism contaminating others, either.

Sources:

U.S. National Library of Medicine

Mayo Clinic

Writer: Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County.

Reviewer:  Donna Green, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Erie County.

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