Can Optimism Improve Aging? Scientists Say YES
We’ve all heard about the general health benefits of positive thinking. At a basic level, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell us that keeping our spirits uplifted can ward off discouragement, isolation, and even life-altering depression.
However, staying upbeat can be easier said than done during life’s golden years. Age can bring a variety of new, unexpected challenges: the body doesn’t heal as well; the mind isn’t as sharp; technology is harder to understand; friends and spouses may pass away, leaving us with less social support and interactions.
It can feel as if life is changing not for the better, as we get older.
However, maintaining a sunny disposition from a scientific point of view – especially when it comes to aging – is worth some serious consideration. Take a look at the following articles:
- A 2023 study in Scientific Reports with 100 older adults undergoing an 8-week course on positive thinking showed the training led to better thinking, higher resilience and greater life satisfaction.1
- A 2016 study reported in the Harvard Gazette focused on female-subjects only found that women who were optimistic had a significantly reduced risk of dying from several major causes of death over an 8-year period, compared to those who were less optimistic.2
- A 2019 study published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA) of nearly 70,000 subjects found that individuals with higher levels of optimism over a 10-year period had greater odds of surviving to age 85, indicating that non-biomedical factors (such as optimism) can affect longevity positively. 3
These examples are just a small sample of existing research; plenty of additional experiments show similar results.
So how do we stay positive, when facing aging-related challenges? The antidote includes simple, familiar habits that older adults can revisit. Writing down 2-3 items of daily gratitude, extending forgiveness for ourselves and others, and staying mindful (among other practices) can help bring about to potential benefits promised by research.
If you or a loved one are experiencing age-related challenges, consider the solutions offered at Kavod Senior Life. We provide our residents mental health therapy through CU’s Geriatric Clinic and trained Naropa University interns. These experts work with our residents to support their aging journey, using mental health therapies to benefit the aging experience…and perhaps, even, prolong life.
In conclusion, research indicates aging is no match for optimism. In the words of former actress Ingrid Bergman: “Getting old is like climbing a mountain; you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better!
1 Taherkhani Z, Kaveh MH, Mani A, Ghahremani L, Khademi K. The effect of positive thinking on resilience and life satisfaction of older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Sci Rep. 2023 Mar 1;13(1):3478. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30684-y . PMID: 36859479; PMCID: PMC9977771.
2 James P, Kim ES, Kubzansky LD, Zevon ES, Trudel-Fitzgerald C, Grodstein F. Optimism and Healthy Aging in Women. Am J Prev Med. 2019 Jan;56(1):116-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2018.07.037 . PMID: 30573140; PMCID: PMC6310050.
3 L.O. Lee, P. James, E.S. Zevon, E.S. Kim, C. Trudel-Fitzgerald, A. Spiro, F. Grodstein, & L.D. Kubzansky, Optimism is associated with exceptional longevity in 2 epidemiologic cohorts of men and women, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 116 (37) 18357-18362, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1900712116 (2019).
*100% of this blog was written by humans, for humans