Is Happiness the Key to Longevity?
Being happy and more optimistic is not only good for you, but it can help people become more successful, according to researchers.
Happiness helps people live longer and healthier lives, a 2022 Harvard University study found. That includes improved immune functionality, healthier hearts and fewer aches and pains. Plus, research found that more optimistic folks were more successful in their jobs and relationships. The Harvard study found that optimistic people live about 11% to 15% longer than pessimists and had a better chance of living past the age of 85.
People have to work toward optimism: Sue Varma, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at New York University, said it’s not just that people have a natural positive outlook on life, but rather that they work toward it. “They have grit, they have tenacity,” Varma said. “They don’t give up.”
Excerpted from The Hill
