Happy mind, happy body

Deep thinkers from Plato (the Greek chap with the impressive beard) to Bobby McFerrin (author of the pop lyric “don’t worry, be happy”) have extolled the value of having a happy frame of mind if you want to lead a good life. This is more than just an abstract idea because happiness has been found to have many physical effects and a new study has just highlighted yet another.

It has been shown in earlier studies that happier, more optimistic people have a healthier immune system, lower risk of heart disease, and they even heal from cuts and bruises more rapidly. Now a new study has found that people with a sunnier disposition are also less likely to have a brain stroke.

In simple terms a brain stroke is disruption in blood flow to the brain. This might be caused by a blockage in a blood vessel (ischaemic stroke) or a ruptured blood vessel (haemorrhagic stroke). The symptoms of the stroke will vary according to where the problem occurs and what parts of the brain are affected.

In the new study more than 6000 people over the age of 50 were assessed using a standard optimism test to establish their optimism levels on a sixteen point scale. They then followed the people for two years. In that time 88 people had a stroke.

When the incidence of strokes was matched against the level of optimism first measured, it was found that for each one point increase in optimism there was a reduction in stroke risk of about nine per cent. That might not sound huge but it means that someone who scored eleven on the test is 54 per cent less likely to experience a stroke than someone who only scored five out of sixteen for optimism.

This might be because people who are optimistic are more likely to do positive things for themselves and their health. Equally, there might be a biological effect of happiness. Either way, having a happy disposition is good for you.

If you want to develop a happier you, then you need to look at your “self-talk” according to the researchers. Self-talk refers to the stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head every day. These thoughts are automatic and do not necessarily relate to what is actually happening in your life. They might arise from your own reasoning process, from what you have been told by people you believe in, or from misconceptions due to lack of information.

If you do have a predominantly negative self-talk, don’t get negative about it!

You might not be able to turn yourself into an unalloyed optimist by morning but over time you can change your thought patterns. The first step is to identify areas in your life in which you typically have negative thoughts. Start by choosing one specific area and try to change your thoughts. Once your self-talk in that area is habitually positive, tell people about, tell the world, share your joy and you magnify it. Then go onto another area and so on. Eventually your positive self-talk will lead to a more generally optimistic mind. You will be able to handle daily life in a more constructive way and your chances of many illnesses will decrease dramatically.

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