Lifestyle

How to be more optimistic – and possibly live longer


A new study has suggested that optimistic people are more likely to live longer, although this won’t come as any surprise to those who are more prone to negative thoughts – they are pessimists after all. The results, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests optimists have an 11% to 15% longer life than the least optimistic, with a better chance of making it to 85 and older.

It could be that the optimistic people studied were more likely to have healthier behaviours, but it has also been pointed out that most of those in the study were white, and not many had low incomes. It’s also worth remembering that unrealistic optimism is associated with risk-taking and unhealthy behaviours.

Still, who wouldn’t want to live optimistically? There is a genetic component to optimism – studies of twins suggest it could be as high as 40% – but that still leaves plenty of room to change. “By thinking differently and choosing company that reinforces a positive view, rather than a negative one, you can make a big difference to your outlook,” says Linda Blair, a clinical psychologist. “The way you change your thinking is not just to say ‘what’s good about this?’ because you won’t believe it.” Instead, she says, be less reliant on black-and-white thinking. “Challenge yourself with grey shades. There is a middle ground. Ask yourself: what are the facts?” Optimism can be reinforced, she believes, by spending time with people who look on the bright side.

One of the researchers on the study, Eric Kim, has said gratitude journals – writing down three things each day you are grateful for and keeping a note of kind things you do for others – can help make you more optimistic. So can practising the best-possible-self exercise – in which you envisage your future self achieving what you would like, and think of the steps it would take to get there. Meditation could also help make us look on the bright side.

Another important step, says Blair, is to make sure you’re getting enough sleep. “When we’re tired, we become emotional and emotional usually means afraid. We’re thinking about the future and we’re worried about how it might turn out in ways that are out of our control. When you’re tired, it’s harder to be logical.”

It takes time and conscious practice (perhaps as much as a year, Blair says) to shift thinking patterns that have been ingrained throughout our lives. She advises keeping track with a diary: “You would realise that in general you have a bit of a brighter outlook.”



READ SOURCE

Leave a Reply

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.