Recently, positive thinking has become a popular topic in psychology and self-improvement. It might be easy to assume that positive thinking is all about being generally happy and seeing things in a rosy light, but research does suggest that this type of thinking has far-reaching advantages. Positive thinking, if applied regularly, can yield particular benefits to the health and the brain, as well as build up strength, and even improve mental performance. In the subsequent sections of this blog post, we will be exploring some vital facets that explain how positive thinking can enhance your well-being and quality of life.
The Mind-Body Connection
First, it is crucial to assume that the mind and the body are interconnected. Everyone has feelings and emotions which do not only exist in the mind but are manifested in one's body. Recall a time when you felt any form of stress or anxiety. Perhaps, you've had your muscles become rigid, your breathing turn shallow and fast, your heart pounds, or even experience nervousness in the pit of your stomach. This is indeed evidence of a mind-body relationship.
Positive emotions cause the state of the body to become more relaxed and open, or down. Still, these small positives gradually work their magic and begin to change that health for the better physically. Let's look at some of the key benefits:
The Benefits of Positive Thinking for Body and Mind
Strengthened Immune System
It has been discovered that people with positive attitudes appear to have a better capacity to ward off diseases. For instance, a study observed that patients had lower rates of developing cancer again compared to other ones, precisely because they were more optimistic. It has been found in other research works that, positive thinkers are less likely to develop this heart disease, have better immune systems against the ordinary flu, and enjoy longer life spans compared to their other counterparts.
The possible reason for this immunological rise probably originates from physiological changes mediated by positivity. Happiness, gratefulness, and satisfaction are associated with lowered inflammation and regulated densities of antibodies and leucocytes. At the same time, when a person is experiencing negative emotions, such as depression or pessimism for an extended period, the immunity is weakened.
Reduced Pain
In this view, Wadley showed that in as much as positive thinking increases immunity, it is also effective in decreasing physical pain. Academic studies have discovered that a change in one's attitude regarding pain can also provide the same result as changing the patient's physical condition.
For instance, some chronic pain patients could be prescribed to write gratitude lists and it was established that it reduced their distress and negative appraisal regarding pain in the long run. Similar studies also show that positive emotions capture the direct relationship between pain and well-being, they simply soften the impact of pain rather than altering it to some extent.
So following the basic principle of positive psychology making your mind dwell on positive matters, such as gratitude, optimism, joy, and purposeful activities you can so to speak, desensitize yourself to the pain. This makes positive thinking a very viable and effective means of handling pain.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Just as the mind can be nourished with positive thoughts, the heart is also improved by tilling the ground of positivism. Several studies have established a positive correlation between positive psychological characteristics and better cardiovascular health in the future.
For instance, it was discovered that optimism levels are linked with decreases in heart attack and other coronary events by up to 35%. And, after analyzing dozens of publications concerning the connection between emotion and physical health, one of the key researchers stated that positive psychological well-being might be the best predictor of cardiovascular health identified so far.
Happiness, life satisfaction, and other forms of well-being facilitate the reduction of blood pressure and increase the variability of heart rate two factors contributing to cardiovascular health. Optimism also supports the homeostasis of other key factors related to heart function such as the ANS and the HPA axis.
On the other hand, negative emotions like negativity, depression, and anxiety appear to have a toll on the cardiovascular system. It is equally shocking to note that one research showed that couples were even more likely to die in the next ten years if they overused pessimistic communication for only 5 minutes in 30 minutes!! Such evidence indicates that consistent positive suggestions have a lasting positive impact on heart operations. In addition to all the other health benefits, positive thinking provides life-saving cardiovascular protection as well.
Better Sleep
Another health area that benefits from positive thinking is sleep. Sufficient quantity and good quality of sleep are essential for the overall health of the body and the mind. Of course, more than two-thirds of adults claim they regularly have problems with falling asleep at least a couple of times a week.
Findings showed that personal characteristics such as optimism, happiness, and personal control would act as the foundation for a better sleep schedule and its quality. Overall, optimists have longer and more uninterrupted sleep as compared to negative thinkers who wake frequently at night.
On the other hand, those with negative emotions such as negativity, anxiety, or depression are likely to have interrupted and inadequate sleep. The inclination to dwell on matters that create problems results in physiological activation instead of relaxation which affects the ability to sleep well.
Want better sleep? Trying to make positive thinking a priority it'll be the best decision you make all day. Some strategies are taking a few minutes to think of things to be thankful for, focusing on the special moments you've had with other people, or other events that can make you feel purposeful and fulfilled, or writing the events that you are looking forward to and so on, will help your body to relax and your mind to clear. This helps to signal your body that the time has come to rest.
Increased Longevity
More often it is said, "laughter is the best medicine" meaning that laughing cures all kinds of aches and pains. To name a few more in line with all the benefits outlined earlier– from enhanced immunity to better cardiovascular profile, positive thinking is associated with longer life.
A classic longitudinal investigation of nuns documented emotional words in essays they completed during early adulthood. Researchers then followed up on those women to monitor their death rates. Incredibly, nuns whose essays elicit positive emotions in them were found to have lived almost one decade longer than the sadder nuns.
Another comprehensive meta-analysis of 70 studies also established that positive aspects like life satisfaction, happiness, optimism, and sense of purpose are strongly related to low mortality rates in the future. Another review stated that psychological well-being might appear to be as effective a predictor of life expectancy as physical activity is.
Positive thoughts act as protective shields against stress and condition the body for health, well-being, and longevity. These small daily doses of positivity having a positive outlook, reflecting on positive moments, thankfulness, and meaning accrued over a lifetime reap exponential benefits.
The Takeaway
Positive thinking can be seen not as a simple kind of positively toned thinking but as a tool that can be effectively used in the sphere of improvement of people's mental and physical conditions, interpersonal relations, and standard of living.
When individuals can consciously adopt positive perception mechanisms, the stresses in their lives can be brought down and dealt with hence enabling them to design a satisfying life.
As with any process, positive thinking needs time, effort, and sometimes the allowed input but, the outcome that it has on the body as well as the mind, makes it a worthwhile process.
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