Nina In New York: Optimists Live Longer, Look Better, Are Happier And Healthier, But Are They Really Better Off?

A lighthearted look at news, events, culture and everyday life in New York. The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.
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By Nina Pajak

The world is all kinds of messed up. I know I've been hitting this note hard lately, but it's just so true. Whether you look across oceans or down the street, things are kind of rough. And I suppose that the older I get, the more my eyes are opening to the harsh realities of life. And as a born worrier, this evolving outlook naturally takes on the form of a brand of pessimism that's a heaping cup of information-overload anxiety, a helpful tablespoon of hypothetical problem-solving, a healthy splash of control issues, and just a dash of persistent hopefulness to help me get to sleep at night. I find it's a pretty decent recipe for high-functioning neuroses that allows me to get through the day with a smile on my face while remaining mentally prepared for everything from a house fire to an attempted kidnapping to an incurable pandemic to being the victim of a road rage incident to losing my credit card to seeing a mouse in my kitchen to a bad case of the Mondays. Honestly, I recommend it!

Or at least, I would have if I hadn't just read about how optimists live longer. According to a new study from the University of Illinois, they're evidently twice as likely to have healthy hearts, and even have lower blood sugar and cholesterol. Said Rosalba Hernandez, lead author of the study: "At the population level, even this moderate difference in cardiovascular health translates into a significant reduction in death rates."

It just doesn't add up. I mean, sure, optimists would be more likely to take better care of their bodies, what with the exercising and eating right and not smoking. And sure, they've got less stress and may have that fighting spirit and they've got that spring in their step that renders age nothin' but a number. I guess there's something to all that nonsense. But do they know what to do in the case of a surprise daytime home invasion? Or will they be ready to react if a loved one is in an accident or if their kid is bullied at school or if a person in central Russia hacks into their baby monitor or if they get a rare strain of the flu? What will they do if their kid's hair starts falling out or if they suddenly develop an inexplicable case of tinnitus or if they're forced to evacuate a subway in between stations? And who will they call if they get pickpocketed on vacation or if someone attempts to perpetrate a phone fraud against them? Will they have the psychological tools to battle a bedbug infestation or a prolonged internet outage? Yeah. That's what I thought. How could they possibly be better off than me and my fellow worry warts?

Seriously, I need to know how so that I can try to circumvent the pessimism-related disease that may be coming for me. In the meantime, I'll turn my frown upside-down while I read up on cardiovascular exercises and longevity strategies.

Nina Pajak is a writer living with her husband, daughter and dog in Queens. Connect with Nina on Twitter!