PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Here’s another great reason to be optimistic: people who have a positive psychological approach to life live longer and they do better, according to a University of Michigan study.

Optimism is associated with a reduced risk of stroke. What the researchers did was they established an optimism scale between three and 18. They found that each number increase in optimism was linked to about a nine percent decrease in stroke risk.

Why did this happen?

According to the authors of the study, people who are optimistic are people who expect the best things in life, and they take steps to promote good health, so it’s more then just optimism, it’s a healthy approach to life.

Reported by Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor, KYW Newsradio 1060