Five Scientific Methods for Improving Mental Health 改善心理健康的 5 種科學方法

1. Practice optimism

以樂觀的心態實踐

The studies are positive： Looking on the bright side of life is really good for you. Optimists who have a 35% less chance of having a heart attack or stroke， are more likely to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly， have stronger immune systems; and even live longer. In fact， a study in 2019 found people with the most positive outlook had the greatest odds of living to 85 or beyond.

研究給出了正面的證明：關注生活光明的一面確實對人有好處。樂觀主義者心臟病發作或者中風的概率要比其他人低35%，同時他們更有可能攝入健康膳食，定期鍛煉，擁有更強大的免疫功能甚至擁有更長的壽命。事實上，2019年的一項研究發現，心態最樂觀的人壽命也是最長的，他們能夠至少活到85歲。

Not a natural optimist？ No worries. Science has shown you can train your brain to be more positive. Only about 25% of optimism is programmed by our genes anyway.

不是天生的樂觀主義者？別擔心?？茖W表明，人們可以通過思維訓練來變得更加積極樂觀，畢竟只有25%的樂觀因素根植于基因之中。

2. Start volunteering

開始志愿之旅

A prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi tells us， “It is in giving that we receive.”

阿西尼城的圣弗朗西斯的祈禱告訴我們：“我們所得到就是我們所給予的?！?/p>

It turns out he was scientifically right. Studies have shown that putting the well-being of others before our own without expecting anything in return， or what is called being altruistic， stimulates the reward centers of the brain. Those feel-good chemicals flood our system， producing a sort of “helpers high”.

研究證明這是科學的論斷，將他人的福祉放在自我福祉之前，不求回報地為他人付出也就是所謂的利他主義會刺激我們大腦的獎賞中樞。這些讓人感覺愉悅的化學物質會充盈人體系統，讓助人者獲得快樂與滿足。

3. Be grateful

感恩

We have heard a lot about the benefits of thankfulness in the last decade， and that is backed by science： Counting our blessings protects us against anxiety and depression and boosts optimism. Need more proof？ Middle-schoolers who practiced gratitude exercises had less problem behavior.

在過去的十年中，我們經常聽到關于感恩的各種益處，并得到了科學的支持：數算福分可以保護我們免受焦慮和沮喪的困擾并激發樂觀情緒。需要更多證據嗎？那些接受過感恩教育的中學生出現的問題行為更少。

One of the best ways to make thankfulness a part of your life， say experts， is to keep a daily journal. Before you go to bed， jot down any positive experience you had that day， no matter how small it is.

如專家們所說，使感恩成為你人生的一部分的最佳方式之一是記日記。在你睡覺前，簡單記下你在這一天遇到的各種正能量的經歷，不論大小。

If you do that for one minute each morning and evening， that sense of appreciation can broaden to everyone in your life and bolster optimism and better mental health.

如果你每天早晚用一分鐘的時間來做這件事，這種感恩之情將擴散到你生活中的每個人身上，增強你的樂觀情緒，改善你的心理健康。

4. Bolster your social connections

維持你的社交網絡

“People who are more socially connected to family， to friends， to community， are happier， theyre physically healthier， and they live longer than people who are less well connected”， said Harvard psychiatrist Robert Waldinger.

哈佛大學的精神病學家羅伯特·瓦爾丁格說：“那些與家庭、朋友和社區聯系更加緊密的人會更加開心、更加健康，壽命也更長?！?/p>

The proof for it comes from the Harvard Study of Adult Development， which tracked 724 Boston men for more than 75 years and then began following more than 2，000 of their offspring and wives.

哈佛的成人發展研究為此提供了證明，這一研究追蹤了724名波士頓人超過75年，然后還追蹤了2000多名他們的后代和妻子。

“The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this： Good relationships keep us happier and healthier.” Waldinger said.

瓦爾丁格說：“我們從這一長達75年的研究中所獲取的最明確的信息是：良好的社會關系能夠使人們更加快樂和健康?！?/p>

5. Find your goal

找到你的目標

Finding a sense of purpose contributes greatly to well-being and a longer， happier life， experts said.

專家們曾稱，擁有目標感對于幸福和更長久、快樂的生活具有極為重要的意義。

University of Pennsylvania psychologist Martin Seligman， who co-founded the field of positive psychology， says a sense of purpose will come from being part of something bigger than ourselves. He points religion， family， and social causes as ways to increase meaning in our lives.

賓夕法尼亞大學的心理學家馬丁·塞利格曼是積極心理學領域的共同創始人，他說目標感來源于成為比我們自己更加龐大的事物的一部分。他指出宗教、家庭和社會事業能夠使我們的生活更具意義。

Word Study

odds /?dz/ n. [pl.]概率;幾率;可能性

What are the odds of finding a parking space right outside the door？

attribute /?'tr?bju?t/ v. 把……歸因于;認為……是

stimulate /'st?mjule?t/ v.促進;激發;刺激

boost /bu?st/ v.使增長;使興旺