Few doubt the phrase “It is better to be happy than to be sad”, immortalized by Vinícius de Morais in Samba da blessing. But now it’s science that proves it: optimism is good for health and may even increase longevity, at least for women, which has been the subject of recent research. The study, published last week in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, suggests that a lifestyle based on positive thoughts can guarantee a few more years of life.
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A report in the journal Galileu emphasized that, according to the observations of researchers at Harvard University in the United States responsible for the work, while optimism is influenced by social factors, regardless of race and ethnicity, it is beneficial to have a maintain positive attitude .
“Our results suggest that it makes sense to focus on positive psychological factors, such as B. Possible new ways to promote longevity and healthy aging in different groups,” said Hayami Koga, a graduate student in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard’s Chan School of Public Health, in a statement.
In a previous study, the research group found that optimism was associated with longer lifespans, defined as living past 85 years. However, after analyzing primarily white populations in this work, Koga and her colleagues understood the need to include women of all racial and ethnic groups.
For the research, the team analyzed data and responses from nearly 160,000 women participating in the Women’s Health Initiative, including postmenopausal Americans. The results showed that the most optimistic 25% were likely to live 5.4% longer and be 10% more likely to live past age 90 than the least optimistic 25%.
These trends persisted even after accounting for demographics, chronic illness, and depression. Factors such as regular exercise and a healthy diet accounted for less than 25% of the association between optimism and life expectancy, indicating that other aspects may play a role.
Involving diverse groups in research is important for public health, Koga says, because many have higher mortality rates than white populations.
“We tend to focus on the negative risk factors that affect our health. It’s also important to think about positive resources like optimism that can benefit our health, especially when we realize that these benefits are seen across racial and ethnic groups.