Be Optimistic, Live Longer

Being an optimist will help you live longer.

- Dr Sanjay Teotia

Having an optimistic outlook may add extra years to one's livse. A number of studies have shown that optimists enjoy higher levels of well-being, better sleep, lower stress, and even better cardiovascular health and immune function. Now, a study links being an optimist to a longer life. Looking on the bright side of life could help you live longer. People with greater optimism are more likely to live to the age of eighty or older.

Recent research studies found that on an average, the most optimistic men and women had a 1015 per cent longer lifespan. They also had a 50-70 per cent greater odds of reaching the age of eighty compared to the least optimistic groups. More importantly, the optimists were also more likely than pessimists to live into their 90s. Researchers refer to this as an exceptional longevity, considering the average life span for women in developed countries is about 83 years.

What makes these findings especially impressive is that the results remained even after accounting for other factors known to predict a long life, including education level and economic status, ethnicity, and whether a person suffered from depression or other chronic health conditions.