Content Individuals Are Less Likely to Experience a Heart Attack or Stroke
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A significant reduction in the risk of heart attack or stroke was observed among those who are content with their lives, according to an examination of the medical data of almost 120,000 persons in the UK, with an average age of 57.
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, they were also less likely than those with lower levels of well-being to develop coronary artery disease, have a heart attack, have heart failure, or have a stroke.
Scholars propose that a comprehensive lifestyle that incorporates consistent physical exercise, social interactions, and/or stress reduction methods is a successful means of improving individual well-being.
According to the study, the total risk of cardiovascular disease was shown to be 10% to 21% lower in persons with the greatest well-being ratings than in those with the lowest sense of well-being.
Adults with the greatest well-being scores had a 44% lower risk of coronary artery disease, a 45% lower risk of stroke, a 51% lower risk of heart failure, and a 56% lower risk of heart attack when compared to those with the lowest well-being scores.
According to research senior author Professor Wen Sun of the University of Science and Technology of China, “Our findings support a holistic approach to health care, where enhancing a person’s mental and emotional well-being is considered an integral part of preventing heart disease and stroke.”
“Health care providers may think about incorporating methods to increase happiness and life satisfaction into standard care, like suggesting regular exercise, social interactions, or stress-reduction tactics as useful approaches to improve individual well-being.”
It is often recognized that mental health can be improved by well-being, or life contentment.
However, it remained unclear how well-being affected cardiovascular health up until this point.
Following an analysis of over 120,000 participants’ questionnaires in the UK Biobank database, the Chinese research team evaluated well-being in relation to general happiness, family and friendship satisfaction, health, and finances.
They examined the possible relationship between the emergence of four major cardiovascular diseases—heart failure, stroke, heart attack, and coronary heart disease—and well-being.
The effect of well-being on lifestyle variables and inflammatory markers was also investigated in this study.
“These findings highlight the significant influence that mental and emotional health can have on physical health, providing insight into complex biological processes that were previously underappreciated,” Professor Sun stated.
The results “add to the growing body of data that psychological health can impact cardiovascular risk,” according to Baylor College of Medicine professor Glenn Levine, who was not involved in the study. It makes sense that negative aspects of psychological health, including stress and depression, have received a lot of attention.
“This study highlights the significance of psychological well-being, encompassing an individual’s overall sense of wellbeing.
