The Health Benefits of Positive Thinking

Thinking positively does more for you than simply making more attractive to be around. Sure, no one likes to hang out with a Negative Nancy or a Debbie Downer. However, self-criticism and complaints harm more than your social life. Such cognitive habits can actually have a real impact on your health and wellbeing. Take, for instance, how your muscles get tense, your eating habits may change, your sex drive can take a nosedive and you fall into patterns of sadness or anxiety when you’re feeling blue or stressed out. Conversely, happy and more realistic views can ensure that you live a longer, more healthy life. There are a whole host of good things that come from being an optimistic thinker. Let’s go over the health benefits of positive thinking in order to help you understand its importance.

Better Heart Health

Negativity and stress impact the heart’s ability to function and contribute to cardiac issues. Making a routine habit of positive thinking actually has been shown to lower heart problems like stroke or heart attack. When you’re generally happier and more optimistic, you tend to engage in healthier habits that contribute to the strength of your heart such as daily exercise and eating well.

Improved Immunity

Stress takes a toll on how your body copes with disease and other threats. The wear and tear of constant worry leaves your immune system weakened and vulnerable. Positive thinking keeps stress at bay. Being happy can actually strengthen your immune system, helping you to fight off disease and live a healthier life.

Live Longer

Yep, science has shown that it’s possible to extend your life through the power of looking on the bright side. In one study, participants who viewed aging in a positive light lived on average 7.5 years longer than those who were negative about getting older. This proved to be a bigger increase than the average four years added life expectancy that come with lowering cholesterol and reducing blood pressure. That’s quite a significant finding with amazing implications regarding the importance of embracing promising thoughts.

Become More Resilient

Resiliency is the ability to bounce back from life stressors. Resilient people deal with events like tragedy and loss with effective coping strategies and in ways that help them to move on successfully with their lives. Those who don’t possess this trait are more likely to languish in a compromised state such as depression or addiction when faced with harsh circumstances. When you possess a positive mindset, you tend to be more resilient because your self-talk is helpful to your situation, pushing you to move past the current obstacle instead of immersing yourself in the emotional pain. The overall life benefits of resiliency can be transformative.

As you can see, the health benefits of positive thinking are quite dramatic. The studies and effort researchers have put into this topic demonstrate its importance and relevance to well being. You can drastically improve your whole life just by making concerted efforts to turn your cognitions around. That definitely seems worth the effort.