Optimism and Cognition

Does an optimistic mindset have anything to do with your cognitive ability? In the past, although anecdotal studies have linked optimism with positive health behaviors, they were not specifically geared to evaluating cognition in older adults. Researchers decided to evaluate data from the Health and Retirement Study in an attempt to determine whether optimism was associated with cognitive impairment in older adults. The researchers discovered that an optimistic mindset was prospectively linked with a reduced risk of developing cognitive impairment. Therefore, developing an optimistic mindset may be one way to slow down or not prevent cognitive impairment in older adults. The questions then become individually: Do you look at the glass half full or half empty? Do you look for the positive aspects in any given situation or immediately identify whatever is negative? Do you put on a happy face each morning as you begin the day?