A new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health suggests that people who are more optimistic have a lower chance of developing dementia as they get older.
The research was published in the Journal
of the American Geriatrics Society. It looked at more than 9,000 older adults who did not have any signs of poor memory or thinking problems when the study began. The researchers used data on optimism and dementia collected between 2006 and 2020.
Every four years, these adults answered questions about how positive or hopeful they generally feel about life, and researchers compared their answers with their brain health over time.
The study found that the more optimistic someone was, the less likely they were to develop dementia. For every step up in optimism score, a person’s risk of dementia dropped by about 15%. Because the study started with people who had healthy brains, it suggests that being more positive helps protect the brain, rather than poor brain health simply making people feel less hopeful.
The researchers also say that optimism is not just something you are born with—it can be practiced. Simple habits like writing down a few things you feel grateful for each day can help you feel more positive and hopeful. In time, these habits may also support better brain health and even help reduce the risk of diseases like dementia.
Tips to become optimistic
For many, being optimistic isn’t an inborn trait but something that has to be cultivated. Simple practices like keeping a gratitude journal, where you write one to two things that you are grateful for, can change your perspective.
Hong Kong clinical psychologist Dr Adrian Wong, in an article in South China Morning Post, says that by hanging out in groups and going to meet friends can also help to be more optimistic. He says, “The collective nature of the group, of community, sparks healing from trauma and depression.” You can get involved in activities, find opportunities to keep busy, and develop new friends and a new community.
“Get out and see people who are more active and doing things,” Wong says. “It changes the way you think about yourself, your ability and your circumstances.”
