Healthy Mind, Healthy Heart

When adversity stares you in the face, give it a big smile. New
research suggests that maintaining a positive outlook during distressing
times can optimize not only your emotional wellbeing, but also your
cardiovascular health.

In a study presented an annual convention of the American
Psychological Society, researchers at the University of Michigan (UM)
examined the ability of highly resilient people -- those who react flexibly
and resourcefully to stimuli -- to recover quickly from stressful events.
They gave nearly 60 participants only one minute to prepare a speech on a
randomly assigned topic, leading them to believe beforehand that they
would also have to deliver their speeches on videotape for later peer
evaluation. No speeches were actually given, but the researchers
monitored participants' blood pressure and other cardiovascular responses
throughout the speechwriting period and for five minutes
afterward.

The study's findings show that, in comparison to participants with
self-reported low resilience, those who were more highly resilient not
only appraised the task as less threatening than their counterparts, but
also experienced faster cardiovascular recovery times. Says Michelle
Tugade, a graduate student psychology instructor at UM and the study's
co-author: "it's through the experience of positive emotions that these
individuals are able to 'bounce back' quickly from a negative, stressful
experience."