The growing number of studies and their evidences show how important positive thinking is. While stress is the insidious product of modern day living. Today more than ever, the attitude of being positive has become a quintessential prerequisite for healthy living.

The human body responds to thoughts, be it negative or positive. When a person thinks positively there are healthy life-giving chemicals such as serotonin and endorphin that are produced. Similarly, when a person thinks negatively, there are toxic chemicals such as cortisol and adrenal that is secreted. These chemicals that are produced, directly or indirectly, have significant impact on all major organs of the body.

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1. Positive Impact on Cardiovascular Activity and Nervous System

When high levels of cortisol are produced it causes inflammation in the blood stream and increase the risk of cardiovascular ailments.

When a person thinks positively, the happy chemicals have a positive impact on the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve wanders all over the important organs in your body. It connects major organs in the body to the brain. The heart, the gut, the kidney, the liver and pancreas, the sensory organs are all connected to the vagus nerve. When an individual maintains a positive outlook, the vagus nerve is relaxed and hence stress is reduced. This results in reduced heart rate and blood pressure. A relaxed vagus nerve also has a positive impact on the brain, enhances digestion and so on.

2. Reduces Risk of Lifestyle Diseases

The negative chemicals produced due to negative thinking can lead to lifestyle health issues such as diabetes, blood pressure and obesity. When cortisol is produced on a continuous basis it leads to weight gain. Studies have found that cortisol can also increase craving for high calorie food.

Continual period of stress can lead to increased production of cortisol. The fight or flight mechanism in cortisol makes it produce considered amount glucose as a source of energy for muscles. When this process happens over an elongated period of time then it leads to increased levels of blood sugar.

3. Enables to Overcome Stress Related Diseases

When an individual is stressed out the body releases toxic chemicals such as cortisol and adrenalin. These chemicals have harmful effects on the body often resulting in cell death. When you think positive chemicals such as serotonin and endorphin are released. This enables you stay calm and optimistic.

4. Has Positive Impact on Immunity

When positivity is in the air the body produces biochemicals that boost the immune system. On the other hand, the production of cortisol over an extended period of time can damage the immune system. Long term production of this chemical, may lead to cold, food allergies, gastrointestinal problems and even cancer.

5. Increases Life Span and Productive Years

When a person practices optimism in a balanced way, it enhances a person’s overall health. Just by being happy and content one can enable the body to produce ‘happy chemicals’ such as dopamine, endorphin and tranquility hormone such as oxytocin. Researchers have also found that these health-giving chemicals are produced when a person indulges in helping others and is being generous.

The interesting relationship between emotional well being and physical well being is both fascinating and enlightening. The amazing fact positive emotions produce positive chemicals and negative emotions produce negative chemicals gives a whole new perspective to healthy living. In simple terms, it all boils to down one underlying fact that your health is in your hand. In other words, it is all about responsible living.

Scientific studies claim that every thought releases chemical. These chemicals directly affect our emotions and bodies. Hence the power of positive thinking is more than meets the eye. The much ado about positive thinking only reinforces the importance of optimistic attitude in an individual’s life. The benefits of a positive attitude are many for those who practice it would say.

Let’s look at a few of them:

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1. Gives A Sense of Hopefulness

When we think positively there are chemicals like endorphin, oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin that are released. These chemicals otherwise called as happy chemicals are responsible for our ‘feel good’ emotions and enable us to have an optimistic outlook. When you are able to see the brighter side of life your emotions are more relaxed and as a result you tend to focus better. You have a better perspective of yourself which makes you believe in yourself and gives you self-confidence to face the world.

2. Gives A Sense of Responsibility

A person with a positive attitude has a better perspective of life. He or she understands that it is important to take responsibility for one’s actions. A strong sense of responsibility always evokes positive and constructive actions. Being responsible is a trait that highly effective people possess. This is a very important trait that needs to be developed if you aspire for long term success in any area of your life.

3. Challenge Becomes Opportunity

A calm mind is one of the outcomes of positive thinking. A calm mind is an imperative in trying times. It always helps an individual take more balanced view of the situation. Approaching a situation or a problem with a positive approach enables you to see the silver lining in the cloud.

Does this mean that a person with positive perspective is blissfully ignorant of all the practical challenges life has in the offering? Not at all. Then what makes a positive person. A person with a positive thought process is one who embraces the challenges, looks it in the eye, works his or her way through the situation and emerges stronger than before. Meeting the storm in the eye with a smile requires strength and resilience. Positivity breeds strength both physically and mentally.

4. Makes Positive of Body

When an individual is stressed out the body releases toxic chemicals such as cortisol and adrenalin. This can be harmful to all the vital organs in the body. On the other hand, positive thinking produces health giving chemicals in the body, thus improving the functioning of the organs in the body.

An optimistic person takes cares of his or her self. They are more regular in the exercise, follow healthy food habits. A positive minded person always strives to keep your mind and body healthy.

5. Help Us Build Healthy Relationships

A successful person would focus always on building healthy relationships. Relationships are vital to successful living. Human beings and the society cannot thrive without positive relationships. Hence a positive minded individual will be able to accept and get along with wide range of people. This is also a leadership quality that highly successful persons display.

6. Enables in Making Well Thought of Decisions

A positive thinker is never impulsive. They always wait to get clarity of a particular situation. Being positive and calm always enable you to see both sides of the coin. Unlike the negative minded person who is impulsive and makes rash decisions, the optimist saves himself or herself from a lot of trouble. The ability to understand a situation without any bias and then take constructive workable decision is a quality of positive thinkers.

7. Creates A Healthy Future

The world today is in a mad rush to make a space for itself.  Most of the time people mercilessly move on not knowing that they trudge on one other. In the midst of such competitions with others and one’s own self, only a positive attitude can keep an individual live a balanced life.

It is good to advance and improve as individuals and as society on the whole- advancement not only in technology and science but also in positive thinking. Only those with this kind of constructive thinking can become better individuals who can appreciate and acknowledge the positive things in others as well.