It 's an age-old adage , but looking on the bright side of life can be good for your health , scientists said today . Adopting a positive mental attitude lowers the risk of suffering a heart attack , requiring surgery and even death . That is according to a new study by a group of scientists at University College London . The research found after suffering a heart attack or angina , the most pessimistic patients were twice as likely to suffer a more serious health condition in the next four years , compared with the most optimistic patients . These conditions include a more severe heart attack , heart surgery or death . A new study by researchers at University College London has found optimists are less likely to suffer a heart attack , heart surgery or die in the years after suffering an initial heart attack or angina . In the UK , 2.3 million people are living with coronary heart disease , the major cause of heart attacks and unstable angina ( the type that does n't occur upon exertion but strikes randomly , and persists even at rest ) . Meanwhile in the US , around 375,000 people die each year from coronary heart disease . Scientists surveyed the mental attitudes of 369 patients , who were admitted to hospital with unstable angina and heart attacks . They monitored the patients ' health over the next 46 months . Led by British Heart Foundation professor Andrew Steptoe , the team noted their findings could be linked to a number of physical and psychological impacts of being optimistic . Half of the most pessimistic patients who smoked were still smoking one year after going into hospital . In contrast , 85 per cent of the optimistic smokers had quit their habit entirely , a year on . Smoking has long been known to be a major risk factor for heart attack and angina , with an estimated 22,000 deaths each year from cardiovascular disease linked to smoking . The research comes ahead of No Smoking Day next Wednesday , when the British Heart Foundation will call on smokers to quit for good . The study also showed that optimistic patients are more likely to increase their consumption of fruit and vegetables , a year after their heart attack or angina . The study found pessimists were more likely to smoke and live an unhealthy lifestyle - factors linked to poor heart health . Forty per cent with a positive outlook were eating the recommended five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day . Meanwhile only 20 per cent of the most pessimistic patients were eating the required amounts , 12 months after their hospital admission . Lead author of the research , Professor Steptoe , said : 'Our research shows that optimistic people are more likely to take advice about lifestyle changes on board , like quitting smoking and eating more healthily – this results in better outcomes after a patient suffers from unstable angina or a heart attack . 'Our findings could be used to identify pessimistic patients and encourage them to make the necessary changes to their lifestyle that can ultimately lead to better health . ' Dr Mike Knapton , associate medical director at the BHF , said : 'The next steps for this research would be to show psychotherapy like cognitive behavioural therapy to improve optimism can improve the outcomes for pessimistic people . 'Suffering from a serious condition like angina or heart attack can take a drastic emotional toll , which we know can lead to depression , further lowering the chances of a full recovery after a heart attack . 'If you 're living with a heart condition and struggling to cope , we would urge you to contact your GP who can put you in touch with the necessary support . ' Although noting a more optimistic approach promoted a patient 's recovery by encouraging a healthier lifestyle , researchers did not find optimistic people were more physically active . In the past depression has also been linked to poor outcomes for heart patients . This study found pessimistic patients were twice as likely to have depressive symptoms a year after suffering a heart attack or unstable angina . The scientists hope their findings will help identify the patients most at risk of suffering serious health complications in the years after recovering from heart problems . The study was published in Psychosomatic Medicine . There are two types of angina , called stable and unstable angina . The symptoms of these two types are similar , but there are some important differences . Attacks of stable angina usually occur when the heart is forced to work harder , for example during physical activity or emotional stress . In some cases , the pain can also develop after eating a meal or during cold weather . These are known as angina triggers . The symptoms of stable angina usually improve if you rest for a few minutes . Unstable angina is more unpredictable . It can develop without any obvious triggers and can persist even when you are resting . Attacks of unstable angina may last longer than a few minutes and do not always respond to treatments used for stable angina . Source : NHS Choices .
UCL study shows optimists were less likely to suffer a heart attack or die . Looked at heart attack patients and those diagnosed with unstable angina . The results showed that the people who had high hopes for their future, did not have as many problems in terms of cardiovascular disease ( which is linked to poor diet )