Did you know you can think yourself to a longer, happier life? A recent study by Yale University showed that older adults with a positive attitude to ageing lived, on average, seven and a half years longer than those who didn't.

Researchers found they had a greater will to live and that they thought the benefits of growing older far outweighed any negative aspects. Compare the benefit of having a sunny disposition with the benefit of low blood pressure and cholesterol (an extra four years of life) and regular exercise (an extra three years), and it's clear a light-hearted outlook really can help you live longer.

Attitude is everything
Not surprisingly, the connection between laughter and health is attracting attention in the medical world. Doctors say that a good laugh reduces stress and blood pressure, boosts our immune system and improves our connection with other people. It makes sense - love, joy and laughter are always going to be a better prescription than aggression, moaning and groaning.

Sadly, as we get older, we lose our ability to laugh. According to a study by Dr Michael Miller, the average six year old laughs 300 times a day, while the average adult laughs only 17 times a day. Miserable people apparently raise a chuckle fewer than six times a day, with the most morose not even managing that. The message is clear: we need to get a bit more child-like fun into our lives.

There's even more to it than that. According to Robert Provine, one of the world's leading laughter scientists, laughter isn't just a response to something funny - it's also a bonding mechanism. As Provine puts it: 'The key ingredient to laughter is another person, not a joke'. So laughter brings us together, overcoming feelings of isolation and loneliness - important for our overall well-being.

How does laughter help?
A good, strong belly laugh exercises our heart - so much so that laughter has been called 'internal jogging'. Laughter also reduces stress, strengthens the body's immune system, helps us deal with conflict, relaxes muscles and reduces tension.

It's important to recognise the difference between 'good' and 'bad' humour. 'Good' humour is where we laugh in company (apparently we laugh 30 times more in the presence of other people than we do alone). 'Bad' humour is when we laugh at other people's expense, when it hurts and when it distances people from us - not exactly therapeutic!

Be thankful for what you've got
Feeling grateful can also have a beneficial effect on us over 50s. Experts suggest that in order to cultivate gratitude we could try keeping a gratitude journal, noting down everything good that happens to us each day. The idea is that by counting our blessings we're more likely to appreciate them. The payoff is that grateful people take better care of themselves through frequent exercise, a healthy diet and regular physical examinations.

These people also tend to be more optimistic, a characteristic that researchers say boosts the immune system. Optimism also has a positive health impact on people with compromised health. Studies have proved that an optimistic outlook helps patients living with AIDS, as well as those preparing to undergo surgery.

Money worries
Of course, staying bright and breezy is sometimes easier said than done. Many over 50s worry about money, particularly if we've been made redundant and are having trouble getting back into the world of work. For people currently in work, a low income, the threat of being replaced by a younger colleague and a lack of confidence are all common problems. In each case, talking to a learndirect careers advice adviser could be useful.

Stay happy
Clearly, laughter, fun and a positive mental attitude are all significant factors in maintaining good health, especially as we get older. So why not always try to look on the bright side of life and find the laughs in everyday situations? It can't hurt and it might do you some real good. As Bernie Siegel, assistant clinical professor of surgery at Yale Medical School, has written, 'all other things being even, the simple truth is that happy people generally don't get sick.'

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