Protecting the heart with optimism
Over the last few decades numerous studies have shown negative states, such as depression, anger, anxiety, and hostility, to be detrimental to cardiovascular health. Less is known about how positive psychological characteristics are related to heart health. In the first and largest systematic review on the topic, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found a connection between psychological well-being and a reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events. The study was published online April 17 in Psychological Bulletin. More than 2,200 Americans die of cardiovascular disease (CVD) each day, an average of one death every 39 seconds, according to the American Heart Association. Stroke accounts for about one of every 18 U.S. deaths. “The absence of the negative is not the same thing as the presence of the positive. We found that factors such as optimism, life satisfaction, and happiness are associated with reduced risk of CVD regardless of...