Happy people stay healthy, live more--study

A review of more then 160 studies on human and animal subjects found “clear and compelling evidence” that happy people tend to live longer and experience better health than their unhappy peers, the Science Daily reports.

In fact, evidence linking an upbeat outlook and enjoyment of life to better health and longer life was stronger even than that linking obesity to reduced longevity, according to the review published on Tuesday in the journal 'Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being.'

"We reviewed eight different types of studies,” the TOI quoted lead researcher Ed Diener, as saying.

"And the general conclusion from each type of study is that your subjective well-being – that is, feeling positive about your life, not stressed out, not depressed – contributes to both longevity and better health among healthy populations.”

5,000 students and 180 nuns studied
In order to reach the study findings, professor emeritus of psychology Ed Diener, who is also a senior scientist for the Gallup Organization, of Princeton, N.J., analyzed eight different types of long-term studies, and experimental trials on both human and animal population.

The study that followed 5,000 university students for more than 40 years found that those who were pessimistic and unhappy tended to die younger than their counterparts.

A separate long-term study that followed 180 Catholic nuns from adulthood to old age found that those who wrote positive autobiographies in their early 20s outlived those who wrote a negative account of their young lives.

Study findings
Though there were a few exceptions, most of the studies reviewed showed that anxiety, depression, a lack of enjoyment in daily activities, and pessimism all are associated with higher rates of disease and a shorter lifespan, the Science Daily reports.

In laboratory, researchers found that positive attitude reduced stress-related hormones, increased immune function, and helped the heart recover following exertion.

"I was almost shocked, and certainly surprised, to see the consistency of the data.

"Although there are a handful of studies that find opposite effects," Diener said, "the overwhelming majority of studies support the conclusion that happiness is associated with health and longevity.

Researchers added that though happiness is no magic bullet, and does not prevent or cure the disease, it reduces the odds of getting disease or dying young.

“Current health recommendations focus on four things: avoid obesity, eat right, don't smoke, and exercise. It may be time to add 'be happy and avoid chronic anger and depression' to the list,” he said.