Be happy and extend your lifespan

[5 October 2009 - Telegraph - UK] Scientists have proved that being happy can help you to lower the risk of disease and live longer. And the good news for pessimists is that you can learn to think positively. ... The good news for those not of a Pollyanna disposition is that happiness can be learnt. "There are wonderful programmes around to teach positive attitudes and resilience," says Prof Felicia Huppert, director of Cambridge University's Well-being Institute. "As early as the Seventies, scientists developed a programme called Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which has so far been applied to many thousands of patients and found to have significant effects on medical conditions. "Wellbeing is being promoted in schools and at work, where enlightened employers are carrying out wellbeing audits to make sure people are feeling appreciated and fulfilled." More