Apparently so. Here’s one report from the NY Times summarizing the research:
“Dr. Andrew Steptoe, Dr. Jane Wardle and Dr. Michael Marmot, of University College London, review some of the previous affirmations of the value of being affirmative at the beginning of their paper.
To wit: Negative affect is associated with a greater risk of heart disease, diabetes and disability. Positive affect, as judged by writings of nuns at age 22, is connected to greater longevity – for the nuns. Happy Finns live longer – than unhappy Finns. Even worse, “A lack of positive affect rather than negative affect predicts mortality, stroke and the development of disability in older adults. You don’t even have to be depressed to fare worse; a lack of happiness will wreck your golden years. Let a smile be your umbrella – or else.”
Laughter.com claims studies do show an impact on longevity: “The powers of humor and laughter are numerous.They entertain us and make us feel good, but above all, we have discovered that humor and laughter are the best medicine, they heal, alleviate pain, relieve stress and anxiety, are anti-aging and longevity facilitators and much more…”
While we’re at it, did you know laughter also burns calories?