Those who were highly satisfied with their lives overall were 13 per cent less likely to have suffered heart problems, with self-satisfaction, happy working, family and sex lives being particularly important, researchers said.
Research involving thousands of civil servants in Britain revealed that the more self-satisfied they were, the fewer problems they had with their hearts. Researchers from the Harvard University in the United States couldn't explain why this is the case, especially as the finding still stood when factors such as weight and blood pressure were taken into account. Almost 8,000 civil servants were quizzed about their everyday lives love and relationships, hobbies, standard of living, job, family, sex life and one's self, the european heart journal reports. Data on their heart health was then taken from their medical records over the following sex years and the tow compared, according to British newspaper the Daily Mail.
Those who were highly satisfied with their lives overall were 13 percent less likely to have suffered heart problems, with self-satisfaction, hapy working, faimly and sex lives being particularly improtant. Studies also show that pesimists and people who lack self-confidence have a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes than their more optimistic friends. Harvard researcher Julia Boehm said: "These findings suggest that interventions to bolster positive psychological states, not just alleviate negative psychological states, may be relevant among high-risk individuals."
