Having heart problems and the fact that more women & men die from heart disease than cancer, articles about heart health get my attention. This posting from RealAge.com made me stop and think.
Here it is with some editing for length:
“New British research has found that the more satisfied you are with your life, the lower your danger of coronary heart disease.”
Happy Life, Happy Heart
“While it’s long been known that negative emotions such as depression and anxiety put you at risk for heart disease, there’s been surprisingly little research on whether positive emotions prevent coronary trouble. To find out, scientists asked nearly 8,000 people to rate their satisfaction in seven key areas of life: jobs, family, love, leisure, standard of living, sex, and self. Those who scored higher than average satisfaction in all categories had up to 13 percent less risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and angina. That’s major.”
“People who were happier in four areas — jobs, families, sex lives, and selves — also had healthier hearts. But feeling contented in just the other three areas — leisure activities, love relationships, and standard of living — didn’t have a significant impact.”
C’mon, Get Happy
“While it’s not yet clear exactly how feeling good about your life helps your heart, it’s well established that happiness is vital to your health. Studies have repeatedly found that happy people produce fewer stress-related hormones, have stronger immune systems, and live longer. Now it’s clear that one reason is their hearts.
- Talk nice to yourself. Is your inner voice quick to snap out things like, “How could you forget that, you idiot?” Trade put-downs for encouraging words; they set you up for success.
- Connect. Talk — really talk — to people you care about; you’ll both benefit by connecting. Get physical, too; hugs stimulate oxytocin, the “cuddle hormone,” spreading a feel-good boost. Lovemaking does, too, in steady relationships (those couples report the highest happiness levels).
- Keep a gratitude journal.
- Don’t sit around. Physical activity is a significant happiness booster. Get moving for 30 minutes a day
- Meditate. It eases stress, improves sleep, strengthens immunity, and measurably increases happiness (in one study, by 20 points on a scale of 100).
- Help others. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, hospital, or shelter. Giving back adds more meaning which is essential to happiness in your life.
- Go outside. Spending time with nature makes you feel alert, enthusiastic, energetic, and, simply happy.”
CURIOUS to the MAX 