May 11, 2005 – The more we are inhabited by a sense of well-being, the more our general and cardiovascular health would be protected against disease1.
The British researchers who made this discovery already knew from scientific research that dark feelings, anxiety, as well as depression can have a negative impact on health. But they looked at a little-documented aspect: the effect of positive feelings, such as happiness or joy in life, on human biology.
Thus, they subjected 216 healthy people (116 men and 100 women), aged 45 to 59, to a battery of tests. The subjects were classified into five different groups, according to their level of general well-being or happiness, determined from different questionnaires. The subjects first participated in a session during which their bodily reactions were measured in a situation of psychological stress caused in the laboratory. Then, the researchers collected, several times a day, various physiological data (pulse, cortisol levels, etc.) while the participants were at work as well as during the weekends.
During psychological stress tests, blood samples revealed 12 times the presence of fibrinogens in the less happy subjects, compared to those who were more happy. Fibrinogen is a plasma protein that plays an important role in blood clotting. In too great a concentration and over a long period, it can considerably increase the risk of cardiovascular disorders.
Analysis of the results during everyday life revealed that the less happy participants tended to have 32% higher blood cortisol levels than the happier ones. This hormone, when it is secreted in excess (in case of chronic stress, for example) can contribute to the emergence of various bodily disorders, such as the weakening of the immune system, the acceleration of aging and the appearance ulcers.
Finally, the researchers observed that the pulse was lower in the happiest men. Various cardiovascular disorders are believed to be associated with a high pulse. However, this difference was not observed among women, regardless of their level of well-being.
It cannot be overlooked that, as the researchers expected, participants generally felt more well-being on the weekends than during the week. The authors of the study do not say a word about it, but perhaps that would be an additional argument in favor of the four-day week …
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
According to BBC and HealthDay News.
1. Steptoe A, Wardle J, Marmot M, Positive affect and health-related neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and inflammatory processes, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, May 3, 2005. Vol. 102, No 18, 6508-12. Epub 2005 Apr 19.
