Abstract

Tregear C, Dalle C, Hertoghe T.

Positive emotions and attitudes: Precious keys to longevity

JEAAM. 2006 Oct.; (4): 30-3

Positive emotions and attitudes are defined here as feelings and behaviors that make one see and experience the sunny side of life more often than average and as being worthwhile and even essential for human existence.  

In this large article we review the effects of positive emotions and attitudes such as love, hope, happiness-emotional well-being life satisfaction, optimism, on cardiovascular diseases and cancer, age-related diseases that have high mortality rates, and on human lifespan. Optimism, for example, has been reported in several studies to be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a higher survival rate. Its beneficial effects on cancer seem to be restricted to a better quality of life, including a better adjustment to cancer and its treatment.  The lack of studies where the effects of optimism were examined on cancer progression or cancer survival, make any definitive statements on the eventual anti-cancer effects of an optimistic attitude hazardous.  For most other positive emotions, results of studies are quite similar: improvement of the quality of life, some cardiovascular protection, a moderate (some years of lifespan gain) or no effect on lifespan and uncertainty concerning their effect on cancer disease and mortality. This review highlights the scientific data that are available on the effects of positive emotions and attitudes and points to the need of more studies to increase our knowledge in this probable crucial domain for human longevity.

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