Research shows optimistic people live a longer life. How come? One reason might be that they sleep better than pessimists.
The probability of dealing with a sleep disorder like insomnia or sleep apnea is 70% less among optimistic people. Why are optimistic people getting a better night’s sleep? Researchers say their cheery demeanor spills into other aspects of life.
“Other studies have shown that optimists take more exercise, smoke less, and eat a healthier diet. On top of that, they have better strategies for coping with problems and experience less stress in challenging situations. All these factors could contribute to better quality sleep,” Jakob Weitzer from the Medical University of Vienna’s Division of Epidemiology who led the study that’s published in the Journal of Sleep Research.
How to be more optimistic
The good news is that you can train yourself to be more optimistic. If you’re looking to increase your positive vibes and decrease the negative ones, here are a few tips to get started:
- Believe you can be more optimistic
- Pick a few positive mantras to repeat when things get tough
- Acknowledge your successes, even the small ones
- Pick a role model or two, research them, and try to mimic some of their qualities
- Stop yourself from thinking if one this goes wrong, everything will
- Get rid of negativity in your life, even negative people
- Stop following negative people on social
- Keep a gratitude journal and write in it regularly to remind yourself of what’s around you
- Find solutions, don’t wallow in problems
- Limit the amount of complaining you do
- Find a silver lining in a difficult time
By making a few changes in your life, you can turn your negative thoughts to positive ones. As a result, your optimism might just help you live a better, more restful, life. Is this something you’ll consider trying?
