Positivity's Effect On Health Throughout our lives, we are constantly informed by others how important it is to stay positive and look at situations in a brighter light. But all this, for what? Sometimes it may feel better to let all the anger free and release, or even have a break every once in a while from trying to be too happy. But while we may not always think about it, staying in a positive mindset can have very beneficial effects on the mind and the body. In fact, it can even increase the typical human's life span. Those that think with the glass half full have greater overall well-being, and are proven to be both psychologically and physiologically stronger. Even more the reason to spread positivity between each other in our daily lives.
One of the biggest factors thinking positively can have an effect on is stress relief. Even I can attest to this personally, as when I am angry or negative, it is all I can focus on until the situation is resolved, and I become very stressed. Although, when I tend to let a situation slide or take it with a grain of salt, I can go back to having a productive day. According to Kendra Cherry, a writer for the website Very Well Mind, optimists are “more likely to focus on things they can do to resolve the situation” (Cherry 2). So instead of dwelling on what may be going wrong, a positive thinker would be more willing to use their own ability in order to make the change that needs to happen to negate whatever may be going on. Especially for college students such as myself, it is important to avoid stress at all costs and focus on what is really important during our educations. Another important factor being more positive can lead to is an increased immunity and higher overall well-being. In a study conducted by Segerstrom and Sephton, they found that “people who were optimistic about a specific and important part of their lives, such as how well they were doing in school, exhibited a stronger immune response than those who had a more negative view of the situation.” (Cherry 3). Although we may not realize it, our minds have a very large effect on our body. This includes that when someone is happy, their mind can react and help out with an increased response to something such as a flu vaccine. When humans go into a state of unhappiness, their mind tends to function less normally and slow down other parts of the body as well, which is why it is so important to maintain daily happiness. According to The Mayo Clinic, optimism can also affect both cardiovascular health and lifespan. So basically, while only putting in effort to keep ourselves healthy mentally, it can in turn create more bodily health as well. The final benefit of being more positive is overall resilience in life. When someone is more positive, negativity is only a scratch on the surface to their moods. When faced with huge life obstacles, someone who is optimistic is more likely to step up to the plate, devise a plan, and get through it more directly. Rather, a negative mindset may complain and come up with excuses to avoid problematic situations. So although it may not always seem like the most important thing in the world to stay optimistic, it is important to think of how it can affect our life if we are. In terms of how we live out each day through our moods, the grass is much greener on the other side. Positivity is important to maintain and spread to others so that we can all live with the benefits to our minds and our bodies. |
Works Cited
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Cherry, Kendra. “How Can Positive Thinking Benefit Your Mind and Body?” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 21 June 2019, www.verywellmind.com/benefits-of-positive-thinking-2794767.
Genchi Wallpapers. “Figure 1: Rainy Day Smile.” Genchi Wallpapers. 2019. http://genchi.info/smile-wallpaper-hd
“How to Stop Negative Self-Talk.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 18 Feb. 2017, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950.
Power of Positivity. “Figure 3: A Recent “Power of Positivity” Post.” Power of Positivity. 2019. https://www.facebook.com/powerofpositivity/
Spellman, Jim. “Figure 4: Andy Grammer.” 101.9 The Mix Chicago. 2017. https://live.wtmx.com/listen/artist/9e60ea29-9607-4f7d-aa96-2092ef41f0d3