In April, a survey by Opignon Way revealed that 74% of French people felt “better and happier” when they knitted. Would they have better heart health? Because according to a study published on September 18 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, People who feel good about their lives tend to develop fewer cardiovascular problems. Being happy reduces the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure.
For their work, the researchers used data from the UK Biobank, a long-term study that recruited more than 500,000 people aged 40 to 69 between 2006 and 2010. They extracted information from 121,317 people with an average age of 57, 55% of whom were women. They followed the participants for an average of twelve years.
In their analysis, they considered six key aspects of well-being: general happiness, satisfaction with family, friends, health, finances and work. Volunteers were asked to respond “extremely happy,” “very happy,” “moderately happy,” “moderately unhappy,” “very unhappy” or “extremely unhappy” for each question.
56% lower relative risk of stroke for ‘happiest’ individuals
Lifestyle factors were also taken into account, such as BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption, eating and television habits, average sleep duration and physical activity. Since inflammation is also linked to cardiovascular disease, inflammatory markers were also assessed in participants’ blood tests.
Results: Adults with high well-being scores had a 10% to 21% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who rated themselves as unhappy. In addition, participants with the highest well-being scores had a 44%, 51% and 56% lower risk of stroke, heart failure and heart attack, respectively.
These analyses therefore suggest that individuals who feel happy tend to adopt healthier lifestyles. Do they live healthier because they are happy? Are they happier because they live healthily? As is often the case in science, we do not know whether the chicken or the egg came first…
“The Profound Impact of Emotional Health on Physical Well-Being”
“These findings highlight the profound impact that emotional and psychological health can have on physical well-being, shedding light on complex biological mechanisms that were not previously fully appreciated,” “We are very pleased with the study’s lead author, Wen Sun, MD, PhD, associate director of the Stroke Center at the University of Science and Technology of China.
This study highlights the importance of a holistic approach to health. All aspects of our health are closely linked. If we do not take care of our mental and emotional health, our metabolism will suffer. But it also works the other way around.
Meditate, sleep, spend time outdoors, exercise…
Also, to avoid developing cardiovascular disorders, take care of every aspect of your life. Walk and move regularly, maintain social ties, sleep 8 hours per night, reduce ultra-processed foods as well as your alcohol and tobacco consumption and favor a Mediterranean diet. If you suffer from chronic stress, do not hesitate to call on a professional to help you take charge of it.
In addition to these tips regularly put forward by scientists in the prevention of heart disease, several studies have also shown that gratitude increases longevity. Meditation is also correlated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, as well as better mental health. The same goes for spending time in nature. Finally, it has even been proven that gardening and DIY protects the heart, provided you practice these activities 2.5 hours per week. But be careful, there is no point in getting down to it if you don’t enjoy it!
Source: www.topsante.com
