In general happy people are optimistic and are more resilient when times are tough, reacting to events and circumstances in their lives in positive and adaptive ways.
Fifty years ago, we slept eight hours a night on average, but now we’ve pared that down to 6.7 hours. And for most of us, that’s simply not enough.
Most of us would likely choose optimism, but if you have a naturally pessimistic explanatory style it is still possible to make a shift over to optimism by consciously changing your thinking patterns.
Meditation is being shown to reduce the wear and tear of stress, improve brain structure and function and may ward off the effects of aging.
Health writer Judith Bond explains a four-prong approach to keeping our brains healthy, active and yes, even growing.


