Happiness linked to longer life

Link between longevity and emotional state

Older people who are happy tend to live longer, according to new research.
A five year study of nearly 4,000 people aged 52 to 79 found that those who rated themselves the most happy had a 35 per cent lower risk of dying compared with those who were the least happy.
Past research which has investigated the links between longevity and emotional state have relied on how well people were able to recall how happy (or not) they felt in the past, and so were dependent on memory, which can decline with age.
However, in this study, researchers from University College London asked men and women aged 52 to 79 to rate their feelings of happiness or anxiety four times over the course of a single day.
After taking into account age, gender, depression, certain diseases, and health-related behaviour such as smoking and physical activity, the researchers found that people who reported feeling happiest were 35 per cent less likely to die within the next five years.
Negative emotions such as anxiety appeared to have little effect on how long someone lived.
Although the results showed that happiness is correlated with a longer life, it does not mean that feeling happy will make you live longer, the researchers said.
Nonetheless, they say the findings highlight the importance of emotional well-being among older people.