Do you want to live longer? Be optimistic, according to a study

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(CNN) - You don't have to be a Monty Python fan to whistle along with Eric Idle while singing "Always look on the bright side of life" when you contemplate death on a cross.

Bringing aside British satire, focusing on the positive side of life could easily be the subject of research centered on a key component of longevity: optimism.

Optimism does not mean ignoring the stressors of life. But when negative things happen, optimistic people are less likely to blame themselves, but instead see the obstacle as something temporary or even positive. They also believe they have control over their destiny and can create opportunities for good things to happen in the future.

A new study published on Monday reveals that men and women with the highest levels of optimism had an average lifespan of 11% to 15% longer than those who practiced little positive thinking. Optimists with the highest score were also most likely to live up to 85 years or more.

• Mindfulness and meditation: an expert explains the background of this millenary practice

The results remained true, according to the study, even when socioeconomic status, health conditions, depression, smoking, social participation, poor diet and alcohol consumption were considered.

"This was the first study that analyzed the impact of optimism on exceptional longevity, which is defined as living up to 85 years or more," said lead author Lewina Lee, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University's School of Medicine from Boston. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study found that women with the highest levels of optimism were 1.5 times more likely to live up to 85 or more, compared to those with the lowest levels of optimism. Highly optimistic men were 1.7 more likely to live up to that age than the most pessimistic. Again, those relationships remained true even after adjusting to health behaviors.

Optimism, one of the keys to reaching long ages.

How would an optimistic attitude help you live a much longer life?

"Optimistic people tend to have goals and the confidence to achieve them," Lee said. "Those goals could include healthy habits that contribute to a longer life."

Previous research has found a direct link between optimism and a healthier diet and exercise behaviors, as well as better heart health, a stronger immune system, better lung function and a lower risk of mortality, among others.

"Optimism is an important psychological dimension that has emerged by showing some really interesting associations with health," said neuroscientist Richard Davidson, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds.

"And I would add other positive attributes, such as mindfulness, compassion, kindness and having a strong sense of purpose in life," added Davidson.

Do you want to be more optimistic?

Twin studies find that only about 25% of our optimism is programmed by our genes. The rest is up to us and how we respond to what life has in store for us.

If you tend to be a coward in the face of stress in your life, don't worry. It turns out that you can actually train your brain to be more positive.

"There is research that indicates that optimism can actually be improved or encouraged through certain types of training," said Davidson. "Therefore, it opens the possibility that cultivating optimism and other positive attributes can lead to significant improvements in health-related outcomes, including longevity."

At the Davidson Center for Healthy Minds, researchers studied the brains of Tibetan Buddhist monks recruited by the Dali Lama and found surprising results: Tens of thousands of hours of meditation had permanently altered the structure and function of the monks' brains .

But you don't have to dedicate your life to meditation to see the change, Davidson said. He noted the results of a randomized controlled trial of people who had never before meditated.

Using direct measures of brain function and structure, Davidson discovered that it only took 30 minutes a day of meditation practice over the course of two weeks to produce a measurable change in the brain.

"When these types of mental exercises are taught to people, it actually changes the function and structure of their brain in a way that we believe supports these kinds of positive qualities," said Davidson. "And that can be key to producing the deepest impact on the body."

Training a more positive brain

There are simple mental exercises that anyone can do to foster an optimistic perspective.

• Imagine your best possible being

One of the most effective ways to increase optimism, according to a meta-analysis of existing studies, is called the "Best possible" method. The interventions that use this approach will ask you to imagine yourself in a future in which you have reached all your life goals and all your problems have been solved.

One technique, for example, is to write for 15 minutes about a future day in your life in which you have achieved everything you desire. Then you will spend five minutes imagining that reality. Practicing this daily can significantly improve your positive feelings.

In a 2011 study, students practiced the best possible self-exercise for 15 minutes a week for eight weeks. Not only did they feel more positive, but the feelings lasted about six months.

• Keep a journal of positive things

Many of us can easily recite a list of negative things that have happened to us every day. But ask what went well and we could start. That's why keeping a diary listing the positive experiences you had that day can help shape your perspective.

• Be grateful

Spending a few minutes each day to write what makes you grateful can improve your perspective on life. Several studies have shown that practicing gratitude improves positive coping skills by breaking the typical negative thinking style and replacing optimism.

• Practice mindfulness

One of Davidson's favorite mindfulness exercises cultivates appreciation.

"Simply to remind people who are in our lives from whom we have received some help," said Davidson. "Remember them and appreciate the attention and support or whatever these individuals have provided."

"You can spend a minute every morning and every afternoon doing this," he said. "And that kind of appreciation is something that can foster a sense of optimism about the future."

Like exercise, mindfulness should be practiced regularly to keep the brain's positive outlook in good shape, said Davidson. But the effort is definitely worth it.

"This is really about nurturing the mind," he said. "And there is ample evidence to suggest that there are real psychological and physical benefits related to health."

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