“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so…” – Hamlet
Negative thinking can be a buzzkill.
The extent of negative feelings can stem from frustration, anger, and depression. None of these are pleasant. But, having a positive outlook can improve your life.
Positive thinking is a mental and emotional attitude. It concentrates on the bright side of life. Someone with a positive outlook anticipates success, health, and happiness.
But this isn’t hearsay, I tell you. It’s actually backed by science.
In fact, those who have a positive outlook on life reported greater happiness, restfulness, and reduced anxiety. Another study focused on how having a positive outlook can improve your skills.
Positive attitudes can produce positive emotions. From there, they lead to many health benefits.
So, how can you improve your life through positive thinking? Here are several benefits it provides.
1. Positive Thinking Helps You Cope with Stress
Positive thinkers cope with stress than pessimists. We are not stressed if we have positive thoughts. Stress comes from confusion, conflict, frustrations, and impaired ability to resolve problems.
A study shows that positive thinking can reduce pathological worry. It is also known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
By seeing things in a positive way, people can manage stress. It also helps mitigate all the mental and physical effects of stress. These include cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, and eating disorders among many others.
As a result, positive thinkers can face a disappointment. They know they can focus on the things that can solve the problem.
Negative thinking makes people spend hours worrying about certain things. This could lead to feelings of fear and anxiety. But, being optimistic can also help people cope with anxiety because they focus on the good side of life.
2. You’ll Become Healthier
Not only can positive thinking affect your ability to cope with stress; it can also impact your well-being.
Studies have shown that there is a link between having a positive outlook and better health. These include the reduced risk of heart disease, better blood sugar levels, and reduced blood pressure.
As much as 7.7 million people die each year from cardiovascular diseases. That’s 31 percent of all the deaths worldwide.
A study found that positivity can lower one’s risk of heart disease. Optimists are less likely to develop coronary artery disease (CHD). It is one factor that contributes to the development of a heart attack.
These numbers are hard to ignore. Positive thinking is one of the best ways to boost your health.
3. Optimism Can Boost Your Immune System
Do you always catch a cold or infection? You might need to change your outlook on life.
Positive thinking can boost your body’s immunity.
There is a strong body of evidence that shows attitudes can strengthen the immune system.
In the past, scientists believed that the immune system is an independent and self-regulatory system. But, recent studies found that the brain chemicals or neurotransmitters can affect the body’s immunity.
The immune system can recognize the brain chemicals. It can determine when to give the appropriate response.
The immune cells detect the neurotransmitters when people feel danger or negative emotions.
Yet, when there is a positive attitude, peace, and happiness, the immune cells detect this as non-threatening. So, it continues on with its normal functions. As such, it works on to provide protection and repair in the body.
4. Prolonged Lifespan
Many factors affect longevity.
Having a healthy lifestyle and avoiding bad habits like smoking can improve one’s chance to live longer. But, researchers say optimistic people may live longer than their counterparts.
Your feelings and emotional state can affect your physical body. Negative emotions may affect your health, which may lead to certain diseases that can take a toll on your life.
In a new study, they found that having a positive perception can affect one’s lifespan. The study shows that people who think that they are less physically active than others may die younger than their peers. The results are the same whether you’re active or not.
This shows that a positive outlook can influence more than your mood. It helps you live a healthier life and avoid premature death.
5. Slows down Aging
Did you know that having a positive outlook in life can actually slow down the aging process?
Believe it or not, but positive thinking is the key to healthy aging. Over the years, many studies found a strong link between negative perceptions and aging.
One study, in particular, reports that having a positive outlook on aging may actually help prevent becoming weak and frail.
In turn, this attitude helps older people maintain sharp minds and healthier bodies. Yet, negative thinking may fasten the aging process, leading to a shorter lifespan.
6. It Can Make You More Resilient
People that are resilient often show a positive attitude and vice versa. Positive thinking makes you more resilient, which means you’re better at addressing problems.
Resilience is the ability to cope with problems, no matter how big. Some people may feel hopeless in the face of such stress. But, resilient people can overcome such diversity.
Positive thinkers can think what they can do to fix the problem. But, negative thinkers think that there’s no solution and it’s the end of the world for them. As a result, depression, anxiety, and other negative emotions emerge.
Researchers found that in the wake of a crisis, those who are optimistic are more likely to be resilient. They can face the problem and think of ways of solving it. This shows that increased resilience comes from positive emotional experiences.
Getting Your Positive Vibes On
As you can see, positive thinking may have good effects on a person holistically. Having a positive mind can promote physical, emotional, and mental health.
Positive thinkers are healthier in all aspects than negative thinkers. Science has proven this already, what with various studies backing this up. They show that positive thinkers are healthier, less stressed, and have greater well-being.
Want more insider tips on having a more positive mind and outlook in life? Go and explore our blog site. It’s full of enlightening tips and tricks.