Oct 06, 2015 11:59 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

New research suggests that people with heart disease may benefit from maintaining positive emotions.

Researchers from Penn State University found that people who reported higher positive psychological states were more likely to be physically active, sleep better and take their heart medications and were also less likely to smoke, compared to patients with lower levels of positive states.

"Negative emotions and depression are known to have harmful effects on health, but it is less clear how positive emotions might be health-protective," researcher Nancy L. Sin, postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Healthy Aging and in the department of biobehavioral health at Penn State, said in a statement. "We found that positive emotions are associated with a range of long-term health habits, which are important for reducing the risk of future heart problems and death."

For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from more than 1,000 people with coronary heart disease. They assessed psychological well-being of participants at baseline and again at a five-year follow-up by asking the participants to rate the extent that they had felt 10 specified positive emotions, including "interested," "proud," "enthusiastic" and "inspired." Physical activity, sleep quality, medication adherence and alcohol and cigarette use were also measured at baseline and again five years later.

They found that higher levels of positive emotions were associated with less smoking greater physical activity, better sleep quality and more adherence to medications at baseline. They found no correlation between positive emotions and alcohol use.

Researchers believe people with greater positive well-being may be more motivated and persistent in engaging in healthy behaviors. They might have more confidence in their abilities to maintain routines such as physical activity and sleep hygiene. Positive emotions may also enable people to better adjust their health goals and to proactively cope with stress and setbacks.

The findings are detailed in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

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