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How would you describe yourself? Are you laid-back, anxious, or are you like an open book?
A study released this week in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science has determined that certain personality traits can make you more susceptible to serious diseases down the line.
According to Yahoo! Health, "A large body of research has linked personality traits to health outcomes such as mortality, disability, and general well-being."
However, it is hard to tell which influences the other--in other words, whether personality affects health, or vice versa.
The author of the study, Josh Jackson of Washington University in St. Louis, explained, “We didn't know whether your personality affects your health, or if having a disease can change your personality or how you view yourself,” Jackson told Yahoo Health. “Our research is one of the first studies that has looked at how personality traits are associated with the onset of new diseases over time.”
The study itself was conducted using 7,000 participants (a good sample-size, unlike some of the other studies) between the ages of 30 and 90. The participants were given a questionnaire after they reported their preexisting health conditions.
Researchers then rated people on what experts call the "Big Five" personality traits. “The best way to characterize personality is not with types, but instead looking at a continuum—how much of this particular characteristic do you have,” Jackson said. “It’s not either-or, it’s an amount, and you can have a lot of one trait and very little of another.”
Four years after the initial questionnaire was filled out, researchers tracked them down to see how they were doing, and had them fill out another health survey. They then took the data and began compiling health concerns that align with certain personality traits.
“We found that two traits, conscientiousness and openness, serve as protective factors,” Jackson said. “Conscientious individuals are people who are reliable and able to control their impulses. Openness is best thought of as individuals who like to play with new ideas.”
People with higher scores on either openness or conscientiousness were less likely to suffer from arthritis, stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
If you’re not very conscientious, accept that you’re never going to be a schedule stickler—it’s just not in your nature. Your best move: excuse-proof your diet or workout plan, Jackson suggested. Pay for classes in advance, have a friend meet you for a run, or join an in-person weight-loss group.
“Individuals who are high in openness tend to like to do activities that are cognitively challenging, such as reading books and doing crossword puzzles, and there’s been some research that this is good for your health.”
If you don't think you would score high in openness, keep this in mind: there’s no harm in sticking with well-known comforts. But ask yourself when the benefits of trying something new outweigh the risks.
Not surprisingly, neuroticism was actually associated with poorer health, likely due to chronic stress, Jackson explained. People with high neuroticism scores tend to be anxious, worrisome, and melancholy. They also tend to over think things, which can lead to chronic stress. Simply put, stress weakens the body’s immune system, which can have long-lasting effects.
If you think you would score high on the neuroticism trait, have no fear! There's a great health trick you can try to protect your health: try to retrain your brain with meditation! Harvard research shows that only eight weeks of mindfulness meditation — which is as simple as sitting and focusing on your breathing — can physically change the gray matter in your brain in ways that may help you manage your emotions better.
What do you think of these personality traits and the health associated with them? Are you surprised? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Copyright © 2013 Maciek Lulko/Flickr
