There is a proverb that says “a merry heart does good like a medicine.” While being happy certainly improves ones disposition (and that of those around you!), can your outlook on life, particularly a positive outlook, actually impact and improve your heart health?
According to a first-of-a-kind research study conducted at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, the answer is a resounding yes! The Columbia University study is unique compared to other studies which focus on factors that impact heart health because this study focused solely on how a having a positive outlook, as opposed to mood, depression or other more negative emotions, may impact your heart health.
During the course of the 10-year study, the Columbia University researchers followed a group of 1,739 participants. A large number of participants were located in the Nova Scotia area of Canada. Only persons without a known history of heart disease were accepted into the study. Periodically throughout the course of the study, participants were interviewed by nurses regarding various aspects about their day to day lives such as stress, work, family, problems and of course, how happy or joyful they felt that they were. Interviews were videotaped and the responses later evaluated by a trained staff of researchers who scored the responses on a happiness scale of one to five that measured the amount of “positive affect” in the life of each participant. Positive affect is the term used to describe the positive emotions – joy, happiness, enjoyment, satisfaction – we experience in our lives. Participants who scored a five were viewed as possessing the greatest amount of positive affect or happiness and positive outlook in their lives. A score of one indicated very little or no positive affect exhibited.
The researchers found that those participants who had the highest levels of positive affect over the course of the study had a significantly lower risk of developing heart disease. A positive outlook lowered the risk of heart disease by a whopping 22 percent! Researchers were not able to identify a particular happiness threshold but in general, the more positive affect, the more positive the outlook on life, the greater the reduction in heart disease risk.
While researchers don’t completely understand why being happy provides a protective benefit to your heart health, it’s thought that happiness influences your heart health in three major ways. Firstly, as a general rule happy people tend to have healthier lifestyle (non-smoking, better diet, regular exercise, etc.) which may have the natural result of lowering the risk of heart disease. Secondly, happier people tend to be more relaxed than those who are unhappy which may be providing a measure of protection to your heart health. Finally, it’s possible that genetics may play a role. Researchers believe that it’s possible that some people may simply have a genetic predisposition to being happier and having less heart disease.
Researchers admit that more study will be required before a clinical recommendation can be made regarding the point at which lack of a positive outlook on life becomes a risk factor for heart disease. In the meantime, cultivating a positive attitude certainly won’t hurt you and may improve the quality of your day to day life. You can help cultivate a positive attitude by looking for ways to spend at least a few minutes each day engaging in activities which bring you joy and happiness. Until more research becomes available, there’s certainly no harm in viewing the cup as half-full rather than half-empty. The more happiness in your life, the better your heart health may be.
Until next time, here’s wishing you a healthy heart.
Source:
Dennis Miller, New Study Shows Positive Emotions May reduce Heart Disease Risk, Behavioral Health Central, http://behavioralhealthcentral.com/index.php/20100224209386/Special-Features/new-study-shows-positive-emotions-may-reduce-heart-disease-risk.html