According to most large-scale studies, optimists live longer. However, the devil is in the details: the key role is played not so much by the presence of positive expectations as by the absence of pessimism.

What the numbers say

Data from long-term observations are quite consistent.

Life expectancy difference: the most famous study showed that the most optimistic women live, on average, fourteen and nine-tenths percent longer than their pessimistic counterparts, and men — ten and nine-tenths percent longer. The chances of reaching eighty-five are one and a half to seven-tenths times higher for optimists.

Mortality: a meta-analysis of fifteen studies involving more than two hundred thousand people confirmed that optimism is associated with a lower risk of premature death. Other data show that every ten points towards pessimism increases the risk of mortality by nineteen percent.

An important nuance: some scientists believe that optimism and pessimism are not two sides of the same scale. Analysis has shown that it is high pessimism that predicts increased mortality, while optimism itself may not provide additional protection.

Why is this happening

Optimists tend to lead a healthier lifestyle: they move more, eat better, smoke and drink less. Moreover, they cope with stress more effectively, which has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system.

Cultural context

Interestingly, not all studies confirm this connection. For example, among elderly Japanese, optimism was not associated with life expectancy. Scientists suggest that in cultures with a different attitude towards positive thinking, this connection may not work.

Long-lived optimists: real examples

History knows many people whose positive outlook and activity helped them live a long and fulfilling life.

• Dieter Van Dijk (100 years old). The legendary actor, known for playing Bert in \"Mary Poppins,\" lived to be a hundred. He attributed the secret of longevity to the absence of anger and a calm attitude towards life. He even wrote a book titled \"One Hundred Rules for Life Until One Hundred: A Guide for Optimists on a Happy Life.\"
• Jane Goodall (91 years old). The world-renowned primatologist and nature conservationist continued to work and travel actively until her last days. In her book \"The Book of Hope,\" she shared reasons for optimism even in the face of global problems. She lived to ninety-one, maintaining clarity of mind and vitality.
• Hedda Bolgar (103 years old). The oldest practicing psychotherapist in history. She worked almost until the end and claimed that her happiest years were after sixty-five. She \"sold old age\" to her patients, convincing them that it is a time of freedom and experience.
• Lev Lebedenko (eighty-three years old). A folk artist in Russia who remains active and cheerful at eighty-three. When asked about the recipe for optimism, he responds: live with good, there is no other way. Be grateful to fate, people, family.
• Alexander Soloducha. An Honored Artist of Belarus who admits to following the motto \"Forward and Up\" and smiling since he wakes up. A smiling person attracts, and a gloomy one repels, he says.

Pessimists: philosophy versus life

Among famous pessimists, there are also striking figures, but their lives often ended tragically.

• Arthur Schopenhauer (seventy-three years old). The most famous pessimistic philosopher, calling the existing world the worst possible. Despite his philosophy, he lived to seventy-three — by the standards of the nineteenth century, this was a very respected age. The irony is that when an epidemic of cholera broke out in his city, the great pessimist hurried to leave the dangerous place and choose life.
• Philipp Mainlander (thirty-four years old). A German philosopher who was more of a follower of Schopenhauer. A loyal follower of his theory that life is suffering, he took his own life at thirty-four. Researchers note that his example is a tragic exception, but it shows where radical pessimism can lead.
• Mikhail Zoshchenko (sixty-two years old). A brilliant Soviet satirist, the author of humorous stories. However, he himself suffered from deep depression. There is a famous anecdote: Zoshchenko came to a doctor with a complaint of melancholy, and the doctor advised him to read Zoshchenko's stories, which would make any pessimist laugh. To which the writer replied sadly: I am Zoshchenko myself.

Conclusion

Scientific data and human fates converge on one point: optimism is not just a pleasant addition to life but a factor that can extend it. Optimists are more likely to choose healthy habits, better cope with stress, and maintain an interest in life for longer. Pessimism, especially radical, often leads to self-destruction.

Of course, being optimistic does not mean ignoring problems. It is rather the ability to see them but not let them control one's life.

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