If you're the kind of person who tends to look on the bright side of things, you may be doing your heart a world of good. New research has found optimistic older adults have a reduced risk of developing heart failure.
Researchers from the University of Michigan and Harvard University who tracked the experiences of more than 6,800 people over the age of 50 for four years found that those who tended to have an expectation that good things will happen were 73 percent less likely to have heart problems, compared to those with more pessimistic outlooks.
The findings, reported by the
Medical Xpress Website, could lead to new strategies in the healthcare industry to prevent or delay the onset of heart disease, said lead researcher Eric Kim, a doctoral student in the UM Department of Psychology.
The researchers said optimism tends to be associated with important health habits — such as eating healthier diets, exercising more, and managing stress — that may account for its protective effects on the heart.
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