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London:
Be an optimist, it’s good for your heart, according to a Harvard
School of Public Health review of more than 200 studies.
Researchers found cheerful people have a lower risk of heart
disease and stroke — while such people may be generally
healthier, a sense of well-being is what that lowers risk
factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol.
The researchers trawled medical trial databases to find
studies that had recorded psychological well-being and
cardiovascular health, the BBC reported.
This revealed that factors such as optimism, life
satisfaction, and
happiness appeared to be linked associated with a reduced risk
of heart and circulatory diseases, regardless of a person’s age,
socio-economic status, smoking status or body weight. Disease
risk was 50% lower among the most optimistic individuals.
However, Julia Boehm, who led the review, stresses that the
work only suggests a link and is not proof that well-being
buffers against heart disease. The people in the study who were
more optimistic engaged in healthier behaviours such as getting
more exercising and eating a balanced diet, which will have some
influence.
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