By Shawn Smith
The motto “Set your expectations low, and you won’t be disappointed” may not be a healthy outlook in life after all, according to a recent Harvard study that looked at the link between optimism and dementia.
A study done through the Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health studied over 9,000 adults, 70 years and older, over a 14-year period and found that those who had a higher optimistic outlook on life had a 15% lower rate of dementia, per Study Finds.
Researchers accounted for the possibility of “reverse causation,” or the possibility that dementia was causing lower optimism than vice versa, by removing those diagnosed with dementia in the first two years in the study.
The study, however, does not prove that optimism can prevent dementia, but it shows correlation.
Related: Bruce Willis’ Wife Updates Fans on Actor’s Health
“Optimists tend to have stronger immune responses and higher levels of antioxidants in their blood. They also tend to have broader social networks and lower stress levels, all factors tied to healthier brain aging,” Steve Fink wrote for Study Finds.
While the study doesn’t prove causation between optimism and dementia, Fink hopes the findings lead to more research in the link between mental health and the disease that globally affects 57 million people.
“Any future effort to apply optimism-building programs across different populations would need to account for the fact that optimism’s meaning and expression vary by culture and community, the authors caution. Still, the signal from 14 years of data and more than 9,000 participants makes a strong case for taking the idea seriously,” he continued.
While there are factors such as genetics that are out of one’s control in preventing dementia, activities such as exercise, staying mentally active, eating healthy and maintaining a healthy blood pressure and blood sugar can also reduce the risk of the disease.
“For Alzheimer’s and related dementias, no behavior or lifestyle factors have risen to the level of researchers being able to say: This will definitely prevent these diseases. But there are promising avenues,” as stated on the Alzheimers.gov website.
One’s outlook on life is another aspect that we can control for the betterment of physical and mental health, and studies have shown that those of faith are more fulfilled in life. One Gallup poll showed that 92% of people who attend church weekly are personally satisfied, compared to 82% who attend less than monthly.
The summary of the study reads: “The very religious rate their lives more positively, are less likely to have ever been diagnosed with depression, and experience fewer daily negative emotions…The very religious also make much better health choices than do those who are not as or not at all religious.”
What better demographic to have the most optimistic outlook on life that follow Christ, “our blessed hope” (Titus 2:13).
Read Next: Recent Statistics Affirm Marriage, Church Involvement and Happiness
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
– Content: +1Share:
– Content: +4