Optimistic people often see the good side in every situation that happens to them and this helps them to cope with difficult experiences, having benefits such as better physical health and an increase in the level of well-being.
However, a study published in the specialized journal 'Sciences of Social Psychology and Personality' revealed that this quality can decrease with age, reaching a point where people become
pessimistic
.
The results showed that statistically a person becomes pessimistic on average at the age of 70.
To carry out the research, the specialists analyzed age differences and changes in optimism in a sample of 9,790 older adults over a four-year period.
See also: They find the point of the brain that would make us pessimistic
Photo: Getty Images
Before falling into pessimism, it was found that adult optimism rose before declining, leading to improved overall health and fewer chronic diseases during that period.
However, older age was associated with a lower quality of life, generating a decrease in optimism and triggering worries that led to pessimism after age 70.
It was also revealed that between 50 and 70 years there is an increase in optimistic vision, as well as in people older than 95 years, but the latter represented a very small group of the sample.
See also:
Study: Being Optimistic Could Protect You From Diabetes
Using Social Media Filters Can Harm Mental Health
Why We Get Less Sleep As We Get Old and What to Do About It
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