According to the research at Yale University’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, positive thoughts about aging and the will to live may add years to our lives.
Health is more than just physical. It can also be mental, emotional and spiritual. All of these areas influence each other. For example, poor physical health can harm our emotional well being, and chronic negative emotions such as depression, stress or anger can harm our physical well-being.
Studies have consistently revealed a link between stress, anger, or depression and negative effects on the body. For example, depression has been linked with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension), having a heart attack or dying from heart disease. A number of theories have been proposed to explain this mind-body connection through which negative emotions can have a significant impact on our health.
To further investigate the mind-body connection researchers investigated if self-perceptions of aging effects survival. They analyzed information gathered in a questionnaire from 660 participants aged 50 and older and compared those responses to mortality rates 23 years later.
When analyzing the data they found that the participants with positive self-perceptions toward aging lived seven and a half years longer even when other factors such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, loneliness and overall health were taken into account. The study also revealed that participants’ will to live also contributed to the relationship between positive self-perceptions and longevity.
However, the researchers warn that the relationship is not so simple. Negative views of aging can adversely affect longevity. For example, other factors such as cardiovascular response to stress also play a role.
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