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Positive thinking can prevent memory loss in later years
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Positive thinking can prevent memory loss in later years
A recent study has found that people who tend to have a more positive outlook on life and a cheerful attitude are less likely to experience memory loss.
This research, published in the journal Psychological Science, adds to an ever-growing body of research on a positive outlook’s impact on healthy aging.
As part of the study, researchers analysed the data of 991 middle-aged and older adults in the US who had previously taken part in a national study across three different time periods.
Participants were assessed between 1995 and 1996, 2004 and 2006, and 2013 and 2014. Each time, they reported on a range of positive emotions that they had experienced in the last 30 days.
In the final two time-periods of the assessment, participants also took part in memory tests, consisting of recalling words immediately after their presentation and again 15 minutes later.
Researchers have since examined the correlation between memory decline and positive outlooks — or the ‘positive affect’ — taking gender, age, mental health, extraversion, and education into account.
Speaking on the latest research from this study, the paper’s senior author and associate professor of Northwestern University Claudia Haase said: ‘Our findings showed that memory declined with age.’
While lead author and Ph.D graduate of Northwestern University Emily Hittner added: ‘However, individuals with higher levels of positive affect had a less steep memory decline over the course of almost a decade.’
Although these days a positive lease on life may be harder to come by, the motivation to prevent memory loss at an older age could be enough to encourage people to try their best to look on the bright side.
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