Positive thinking helps you age better? That’s the worst thing I’ve heard all month

‘When someone raves about the power of positivity, I struggle to suppress an eye-roll.’ Photograph: Posed by model; Deagreez/Getty Images

There’s bad news for me and my fellow Eeyores (there always is): a positive mindset could help you age better. Research led by Prof Becca Levy of the Yale School of Public Health interrogated over-65s on their attitudes to ageing, following them for up to 12 years, and found that those with positive beliefs about ageing were more likely to be in the 45% whose physical or cognitive function improved over the study period.

If you’re a glass-half-full type, you’re probably thinking that nearly half of the over-65s studied upping their physical or cognitive performance over a period of years seems like great news. As the research says: “If this finding was extrapolated to the entire US population, it would suggest that more than 26 million older persons are experiencing an improvement in functioning.” And yes, even I have to admit that this is a heartening and stereotype-busting surprise.