Optimism May Be the Key to Longevity and Aging
By Better Health Research Team • Nov 12th, 2009 • Category: Health E-Hint
You may have heard a variation of the familiar adage that says, “You’re only as old as you think.” Now, a study from the Yale School of Public Health shows that negative feelings and images about the elderly can play a significant role in your health down the road.
A study was conducted on 400 people ages 18 to 49 and they answered questions and made observations based on stereotypes about the elderly or senior citizens. After 30 years, the researchers discovered that of those who expressed the strongest negative feelings—such as the elderly are feeble and helpless—25 percent had suffered a heart attack or stroke. In those participants with the most positive images of the elderly, only 13 percent experienced a serious heart or brain episode.
Many health practitioners and wellness advocates say that to succeed in your later years with your health intact, you should practice optimism about aging and engage in positive thinking. Meditation can help you focus your thoughts and also relieve some of the stresses when it comes to growing older.
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