Do optimists live longer?

A recent study concluded that higher optimism in women was associated with longer lifespan and a greater likelihood of achieving exceptional longevity overall and across racial and ethnic groups.

This research - Optimism, lifestyle, and longevity in a racially diverse cohort of women - included almost 160,000 women and tracked their demographics, health information and lifespan, as well as assessing their levels of optimism through a self-reporting, validated measure.

The researchers did as much as they could to eliminate any bias from confounding factors such as education level, income, ethnicity and pre-existing mental health conditions.

So why do optimists live longer?

This is considered in this post on The Conversation - Do optimists really live longer? Here’s what the research says. It points out that optimists are:

• More likely to adopt healthy lifestyles
  • Exercise more
  • Eat a balanced diet
  • Avoid smoking

• Use adaptive coping mechanisms when faced with stress
  • Problem-solving
  • Looking for positives