Positive attitude increases lifespan

By April Clarkson, | Lifestyle | 0 Comments

People with a positive attitude towards aging actually live longer than those who dread getting old.
You can’t turn the clock back. But the way you view the aging process can have a real impact on your health, according to a study. Researchers at Yale University surveyed a group of 660 participants aged 50 or older to discover how they felt about getting older. They asked them to agree, or disagree, with statements like ‘As you get older, you get less useful.’

Up to 23 years on, those with a positive view of aging were found to live up to 7.5 years longer than those who had a more gloomy view. This was independent of other factors, such as age, gender and overall health. In fact, a positive outlook has more impact on survival than a low cholesterol level or low blood pressure, the researchers say.

Those who think positively have more ‘will to live’ and they also avoid the stress response of negative feelings about aging. These factors might account for the survival benefit. So don’t let getting old get you down - your life might depend on it.