Optimists Live Longer Than Pessimists
January 7th, 2009
Optimistic people live longer than pessimists, according to a Mayo Clinic study that started in the 1960s. 900 subjects were initially classified as optimists, pessimists, or a bit of both. Recently, researchers looked at the status of the test subjects as compared with their expected survival rates established when the study began.
Optimists had a significantly better survival rate, while there was a 20% increase in the risk of death for the pessimists.
Although the report did not try to explain why positive attitude was equated with longevity, it did say that optimists may be less likely to develop depression and helplessness and that they might be more proactive in taking care of themselves.