It was once believed that good natured people lived short lives. Perhaps because of its similarity to the life of Christ; the belief in short lived 'starry' lives was compounded further in earlier times, when childhood and infant death were common. Infectious diseases were rife, and whether you were good natured or not, death often struck rapidly and without warning - there was no way to know whether personality and health were related.
In today's era of Modern Medicine however, with technology constantly shifting and changing, and people's beliefs so varied, research is investigating whether there is a link; Could it be possible that optimism and a sunny disposition leads to living longer?
In some studies the answer is conclusively 'Yes', as a growing body of evidence shows that 'well-adjusted, socially stable people appear to have a lower risk of disease and premature death compared to the pessimistic'. In one study by researchers in Yale, people over 50 who viewed aging as a positive experience lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those who did not. The study claims that we can get more lifespan out of our will to live than any other psychological factor.
The sunshine factor
"Is the Glass Half Empty or Half Full?", a project carried out by Harvard researcher Dr. Laura Kubzansky found that optimism was protective against Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) - the UK's biggest killer. Dr Kubznasky and other researchers believe that negative emotions and chronic pessimism should be regarded as a risk factor for this disease, which is responsible for four out of every ten deaths that occur within the UK.
Latest research by the British Heart Foundation (www.bhf.org.uk) also shows that although figures for CHD are down – 114,000 deaths in 2003, there is still a wide gap between the North and South of UK in fighting this preventable disease.
"The North-South divide in death rates has been a problem for decades and it is concerning that the gap is not narrowing, despite efforts made in recent years to improve public health in those areas most in need." stated Professor Peter Weissberg, Medical Director of the BHF.
