Thistle.
Optimism Can
Enhance Your Long-Term Health
Gina Roberts-Grey
A positive attitude and overall emotional wellness can
help boost mental fitness at any age.
It's a well-known fact that being optimistic and focusing
on emotional wellness
seems to reduce stress. But did you know that a
glass-half-full kind of attitude can offer even more tangible health benefits?
Research has found, for instance, that an upbeat attitude,
or happiness, can help lessen the burden of chronic
pain, say from arthritis,
or even reduce your chances of developing cardiovascular
disease.
In fact, some experts now think that staying positive can
help you live longer.
In an intriguing study done at the Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, Minnesota,
researchers
followed a group of people for 30 years. They found that those who were
originally classified as "optimistic" on a standard personality test
turned out to be 20 percent less likely
to suffer an early death than those classified as
"pessimistic."
Opt for a Good
Mood, Opt to Live Longer
Happiness plays a pretty important role in keeping your
brain healthy and vital, too.
Staying positive, say experts, helps fight the
"blues."
This is good news in terms of longevity since, among
other factors,
depression has been shown to increase a person's risk of
developing Alzheimer's disease.
According to Marion Somers, PhD, a geriatric-care manager
in Brooklyn, New York, an optimistic outlook isn't hard to achieve, and doing a
few simple "optimism exercises" can yield a big reward.
"Optimism exercises don't have to be formal," she says. "You can
[improve] your attitude
just by taking a brisk walk, petting your dog, or
playing with your grandchildren outside.
" Anything that lets you release pent-up negativity
and experience calm, peaceful thoughts
can go a long way toward helping you become — and stay —
more positive.
Training Your
Brain to Stay Positive
There are also some specific activities you can undertake
to boost your brain's vitality.
The ancient practice of yoga, research has found,
can improve your cognitive function,
including your memory. Registered yoga instructor
Jennifer Edwards in New York City says, "Practicing yoga trains your brain
to stay focused." It requires you to concentrate on your body's movement
in space and the actual mechanics of your breathing, while tuning out
distractions.
"That focusing," says Edwards, "can
improve your brain's ability to function during the day."
Yoga also promotes relaxation and eases stress, something
David Eagleman, PhD, neuroscientist
and assistant professor in the department of neuroscience
at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, says is very good for your
brain's overall health and vitality. "Stress can wear down your brain's
cognitive abilities. So anything you can do to eliminate stress will help keep
your brain sharp."
"Another powerful tool to rev up your brain's
vitality is meditation. This technique clears your mind and lets you
concentrate on being peaceful," says Dr. Somers. Scientists agree.
Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia,
found regular meditation sessions
slowed the normal age-related decline of brain cells. And
according to Harvard researchers,
daily meditation also reduced normal age-related thinning
in regions of the brain
thought to be involved in integrating emotional and
cognitive processes.
Somers says activities like yoga and meditation, which
require concentration and focus,
are good for your brain in indirect ways, too. "We
breathe every day, but, consciously
and deliberately thinking about breathing while
meditating or doing yoga increases lung function," she says. That
increased lung function boosts oxygen levels in blood that circulates
through your body, including to your brain.
Says Somers, "Oxygen-rich blood keeps the brain
healthy and increases alertness."
A Vital Spirit, a
Lengthy Life
Participating in religious or spiritual activities can
also keep your brain humming along
more smoothly. "The rituals of religious services
and the social elements of being part
of a congregation stimulate your brain," says
Somers. "The sense of belonging
and being able to connect with others who share your
beliefs heightens alertness,
which keeps your brain engaged in daily activities."
Being spiritual or religious can also perk up your mental
outlook.
British researchers found seniors with chronic diseases
who attend religious services or who pray
on their own showed a greater level of optimism about
their overall health than those who did not.
You don't necessarily have to leave your house or attend
formal religious services for your brain
to soak up the benefits of spirituality, however. Somers
says the concentration and focus required
to pray anywhere — in your home, your car, or your shower
— and to live a life that's in line with your spiritual beliefs, is really what
has the most positive influence on your brain over the long term.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/longevity/enhancing-your-life.aspx
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