Positive thinking may affect more than your mind. Practicing optimism, mindfulness, and gratitude can improve your heart health and blood pressure in just a few weeks, according to new research.
Making these practices a consistent part of your daily life will offer the most cardiovascular benefits, experts say.
For the new review, researchers analyzed 18 randomized controlled trials examining positive psychological and mindfulness interventions. They found that a combination of daily and weekly practices lasting at least eight to 12 weeks improved blood pressure and inflammation the most.
These effective interventions include gratitude journaling, mindful meditation, and reflecting on the good things that have happened to you.
"Emotional well-being and physical health are more connected than many people realize," Rosalba "Rose" Hernandez, PhD, FAHA, lead author of the study and an associate professor of social work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, told Verywell in an email.
This was not the first study to link positive thinking with physical health, but it shows that consistency is key. Previous studies have associated positive psychological practices with enhanced immune health, improved sleep quality, and better physical functioning as we age.
A previous study conducted by Hernandez also showed that people who report feeling optimistic have better cardiovascular health.
"Cardiovascular health is not only about what happens in the doctor's office. It is also shaped by our daily lives, stress levels, relationships, communities, and emotional well-being," she said.
Positive thinking won't cure everything, especially since many other factors, such as age and family history, also affect blood pressure. However, since there is a clear link between chronic stress and high blood pressure, you may see more cardiovascular benefits than you expect after adding mindfulness practices to your daily routine.
"Physiologically, these practices can result in stress reduction, which can reduce blood pressure and possibly decrease inflammation," Neda Gould, PhD, a clinical psychologist, associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and director of the Mindfulness Program at Johns Hopkins, told Verywell in an email.
Even people with a family history of high blood pressure may see benefits from mindfulness strategies if they lead to stress reduction.
"From a psychological standpoint, these practices can decrease symptoms of depression, which negatively impacts cardiovascular health. From a behavioral standpoint, these practices build greater awareness of activities that can be helpful and harmful to our well-being, allowing us to make important lifestyle changes," Gould said.
To start, Gould suggested writing down three things you are grateful for every day, slowing down to eat a meal or snack mindfully, stopping to take a few deep breaths, or engaging in one simple act of kindness each week.
You can also practice mindful meditation, where you sit quietly and focus on what is happening in the moment with curiosity rather than judgment.
"All of these practices should be used in the context of traditional medical care, like adhering to medications and healthy lifestyle habits. We want to address health and well-being from every angle," Gould added.
Like any new healthy habit, it will take some time before you notice any big changes. The key is to consistently practice these skills over time - they are not one-time activities, Hernandez said.
"In many ways, we should think about positive psychological well-being similarly to exercise or healthy eating," Hernandez added. "Small habits practiced consistently can add up."