Do you find yourself always focusing on the positives or the negatives? Are you a pessimist or an optimist? The way you think may reflect your outlook on life and your attitude towards yourself and others. The topic of positive thinking has been a hot topic of research. Some studies suggest that optimism and pessimism can affect one's health in many ways. Positive thinking has been suggested to be a key part of successful stress management. Other health benefits of positive thinking may include:
- Increased lifespan
- Lower depression rates
- Lower stress level
- Better psychological and physical health
- Immune system function support
- Higher levels of well-being during hardships (e.g. during serious illness)
- Better perceived capability; higher self-esteem
- More frequent, higher quality social interaction
Why positive thinking has these affects on health is unclear. One theory is that those with positive outlooks cope better in stressful situations, reducing the harmful effects of stress on the body. Another idea is that optimistic people may have healthier lifestyles, possibly get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and have lower rates of alcohol consumption and smoking. Some psychologists think that positive thinking may involve positive expectations for one's future. These positive expectations cause people to behave in certain ways that promote them to strive even when progress is slow or difficult. One study suggested that optimists are more likely to take direct action to solve their problems, more likely to accept the reality of stressful situations, and make the best of difficult experiences.
Information Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=The%20Value%20of%20Positive%20Psychology%20for%20Health%20Psychology%3A%20Progress%20and%20Pitfalls%20in%20Examining%20the%20Relation%20of%20Positive%20Phenomena%20to%20Health
No comments:
Post a Comment