A More Enjoyable Life May Mean A Longer One, Study Finds

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Looking at life through rose-colored glasses may have its benefits.

Researchers at University College London discovered that the more enjoyable you think your life is, the longer you may live.

With Christmas fast-approaching, Ted Rodgers is preparing for a gift exchange and quality time with family and friends.

"That makes me happy. It keeps you a little bit younger, I think," said Rodgers.

Rodgers may be right.

A new study suggests a link between "sustained" life enjoyment and longevity.

"What we found was: older men and women who enjoy their lives for a longer period of time are more likely to survive into old age than those who enjoy their lives less," said study author Andrew Steptoe.

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A team at the university followed nearly 10,000 men and women, aged 50 and older, for more than a decade.

They found 24 percent rarely or never experienced enjoyment. About 40 percent said they were mostly happy.

When the two groups were compared, the death rate for the positive participants dropped by almost 25 percent.

More women than men reported sustained enjoyment - as well as people who were married, well-educated, wealthier, younger, and employed.

Researchers found making and maintaining social relationships are keys to living longer.

"Relationships are things that you have to invest in. You have to work at them, and this will pay off in the longer run, as you get older," said Steptoe.

Rodgers can attest to that. He leaned on his family during a recent battle with cancer and kept a positive outlook.

"You look forward and you have to think, 'there's always hope around the corner,'" said Rodgers.

At 68-years-old, it's Rodgers' formula for a long and happy life.

The study can be found in the Christmas issue of the "British Medical Journal."