Optimism And Health – Are They Related?

Optimistic people tend to face their problems more effectively. They firmly believe that they can do what they want despite the adversity. They give up less and their handling style is usually more proactive. Those who are optimistic focus on what they can gain instead of what they can lose. Do optimism and health have a connection?

According to many studies (self-reports, health forecasts from health professionals, number of visits to the doctor or measurement of survival time after a heart attack), optimism has proven to be a predictor of good health. Based on the results of these studies, we can conclude that the relationship between optimism and health tends to be between 0.20 and 0.30. Let’s embroider this.

Types of optimism

When we hear “optimism”, we usually think of expecting positive and favorable results. Which is strongly linked to people’s mental and physical well-being. However, there are two different types of optimism:

• Dispositional : This is the optimism we usually refer to. Positive, constant and generalized expectations to get good results. This type of optimism is considered to be relatively stable.
• Situational : Concrete expectations to achieve good results in specific contexts, in a specific situation, stressful events, etc.

Studies have mostly focused on dispositional optimism, and try to find out how to get people to have generalized optimism. Sheier and Carver developed the Life Orientation Test (LOT) . This test measures generalized expectations; that is, the dispositional optimism when one expects to get positive results.

Factors that affect our well-being

Optimism, well-being and positivism are all directly related. There are several factors that determine whether they are at a higher or lower level:

• Personality : According to Myers (2000), a large part of our subjective well-being is determined by our personality. In detail, genetic factors may explain 50% of the variation in happiness; This is why it is relatively stable over time.
• Wealth : money does not equate to happiness. On a personal level, being prosperous is not related to being happy. In fact, those who constantly want more money are usually more unhappy than those who do not.
• Interpersonal relationships : being intimate with other people is a basic and essential human need. Most people feel happier when they have meaningful relationships than when they do not.

• Achieving goals : Achieving goals increases people’s well-being.

Positive emotions, optimism and physical health

Optimistic people often use strategies that aim to solve problems directly, especially when they feel they have control over the situation. They think they can change the situation, so they act and evaluate. However, pessimists evaluate first and then, if expectations convince them, they act. (Sanna, L., 1996).

Positive emotions relate to the increase in immunoglobulin A. This antibody is considered the first line of defense against disease. There are not only direct effects from these emotions, but also subjective ones. People who feel happy:

• Shows less physical symptoms than those who feel sad. Sad people tend to feel more uncomfortable.
• Consider themselves less vulnerable than sad people, so it is easier for them to keep up with their health.

• They perceive themselves as more able to engage in health-promoting behaviors and have greater confidence that they will alleviate their illness.

Explanatory mechanisms in the relationship between optimism and health

There are three mechanisms aimed at understanding the relationship between these two aspects:

• Physiological mechanism : optimists have less cardiovascular reactivity to stress and higher immunological status; that is, a larger number of biological defenses, which corresponds to fewer health problems.
• Emotional mechanism : The relationship between optimism and health is indirect, through emotional states. Negativity is linked to a poorer functioning of the cardiovascular system and the immune system.

• Behavioral mechanism : optimists perform health-promoting behaviors to a greater extent than pessimists. Their healthy behavior leads to better health; such as exercise, drinking in moderation, a balanced diet and avoiding neglect.

Concluding self-reports

Many studies conclude that optimistic people tend to recover from illness in a more satisfactory way than pessimistic people. Here are some proofs that support this idea:

• Pregnancy and childbirth : Optimistic women experience less depressive symptoms during pregnancy and after childbirth. They also feel less anxious, which helps them significantly on a mental level after a miscarriage.
• Operations : In a long-term study conducted with patients who had undergone this type of surgery, the results were crucial: before the operation, optimists showed lower levels of negative emotions, hostility and depression.

• Cancer : Women who remained positive during the breast cancer diagnosis process showed lower levels of discomfort before and after their surgery.
• HIV victims : Some studies indicate that HIV-positive people who are optimistic present lower levels of negative emotions and concerns related to the development of the disease.

After studying optimism and health and the consequences of optimism, it is entirely up to you whether you want to maintain a positive attitude, aimed at achieving your goals. One thing is for sure: having a positive mindset improves our health, mood and overall well-being.