Another Obvious Notion Confirmed by Science: A Positive Outlook Helps You Live Longer
Happiness is the key to a long life.
Hey guys – get this! People who laugh a lot, have many friends and are easygoing live longer than other people! Um, right. Because they don’t end up killing themselves in despair? Come on, science! Impress me with something I don’t already know but hope is true, like the fact that having belly fat means you’re a genius.
Something else that helps you live longer?
Not being neurotic. (WHAT DO YOU MEAN NEUROTIC?) People who live to be quite old are also very conscientious, which makes sense. Old people who forget to take their pills aren’t going to be around very long! Researchers have found that older people who are happy are less likely to die when compared with their unhappy friends, and all of these traits seem to be driven by personality rather than something one can cultivate in search of good health. I suppose that means that if you are a young person who’d like to live to be an old one, you better start learning how to smile now!
Get the full scoop on optimism and longevity at HuffPo.
Photo via the amazing Humans of New York
Did science figure out HOW we can have a positive outlook and maintain it? That would be very useful.