Adopting a positive attitude
later in life offers a prescription for staying healthy during one’s golden
years, according to a new study.
New research from Carsten Wrosch,
Ph.D., a professor in Concordia University’s Department of Psychology, shows
that older adults who approach life with a positive outlook can reverse the
negative health issues associated with a lonely life. “Our aim was to see
whether using self-protective strategies — such as thinking positively and
avoiding self-blame in the context of common age-related threats — could
prevent lonely older adults from exhibiting increases in stress hormones and
inflammatory biomarkers,” said Wrosch.
To test this, the research team
followed 122 senior citizens over a six-year period. They measured
self-protective strategies with a questionnaire where participants were asked
to rate statements such as, “Even if my health is in very difficult condition,
I can find something positive in life,” or “When I find it impossible to
overcome a health problem, I try not to blame myself.” The research team also
asked the participants to what extent they felt lonely or isolated during a
typical day. The researchers also used saliva and blood samples to measure how
much cortisol and C-reactive protein (CRP) the participants produced.
These two biological markers were
chosen because cortisol is responsible for stress-related changes in the body.
People with elevated CRP, on the other hand, are at increased risk of
inflammatory illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular
disease. Their findings showed that positive thinking helped protect against an
increase in cortisol secretion. Four years down the road, additional tests
showed the participants’ CRP levels had improved.
The researchers report that for
those older adults who did not report feelings of loneliness, this type of
thinking had no effect, supposedly because their social networks may help them
deal with age-related problems. Overall, these findings could contribute to
successful aging, according to Wrosch. “It’s my hope that our research may
improve clinical treatment of lonely older adults,” he said. “Older adults can
be taught through counseling or therapy to engage in self-protective thoughts
like staying positive when it comes to their own health. That means a better
quality of life, both physically and mentally — something we all want at any
age.” The study is set to be published in Psychosomatic Medicine.
Psych Central
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