Do you live your life with the glass half empty or half full? The answer to that question may determine if you are more likely to have a heart attack, according to a new study.
A team of Harvard scientists reviewed more than 200 studies and found that psychological factors, including optimism and life satisfaction, could offer protection against cardiovascular disease, reported CNN.
When reviewing the study, scientists looked at a number of indicators of general heart health and heart attack risks including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood glucose levels, as well as weight and body mass index, reported Inquisitr.
A person's optimism appeared to be effective in their chance of getting heart disease regardless of their age, education, weight, or family history, reported CNN.
"Individuals with the highest levels of optimism have twice the odds of being in ideal cardiovascular health compared to their more pessimistic counterparts," the scientists wrote in the study. "This association remains significant, even after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and poor mental health."
The scientists aren't entirely sure why optimism is playing such a large role in keeping patients healthy, but they speculate that part of it has to do with better handling of stress, adding that people with a better outlook on life have a better lifestyle (eating healthy and getting a good night's rest).
It's known that depression, and using negative emotions such as hostility, anger and anxiety to deal with issues or suffering can be harmful to the heart, but there is less research done on the effects optimism has on the heart.
The scientists from the study hope their findings will help future intervention strategies for doctors treating patients with heart disease.
The study was recently published in the journal Health Behavior and Policy Review.
