How does thinking positively affect your heart?

Positive thinking is a mental thing that looks on the bright side of life and expects positive outcomes. But can it really help against heart disease? Short answer is yes! There is a lot of evidence suggesting that having a positive outlook — like being cheerful and optimistic — can be very heart-protective.

UK researchers have looked at psychological characteristics of 8,000 + individuals, and found that those who scored high on positive thinking enjoyed a 30% lower risk of developing heart disease. Other studies also reported similar findings. In a study of over 70,000 women, those who scored highest on positive thinking questionnaire had a significantly lower risk of death from heart attacks (38%) and strokes (39%).

How does thinking positively affect your heart?

Multiple studies show that people prone to negative thoughts and emotions have a higher risk of heart disease. Negative thinking are associated with the release of stress hormones. Those who tend to look for the brighter side of life can avoid the damage that stress inflicts on the cardiovascular system.

How can a gratitude journal help

Individuals who kept a daily gratitude journal, wherein they listed three or four things for which they were thankful every day for two months, had lower heart rate during a stressful exercise or lower levels of inflammatory hormones. This suggests that the simple daily habit of expressing gratitude can have big long-term health effects

Always look at the brighter side of life— your heart and health will be better for it.