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The hot new regimen for heart health isn�t kettlebells or high-intensity intervals. It�s strengthening what some researchers call your �optimism muscle.� People who look on the bright side are 50 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke, finds a new research review in the journal Psychological Bulletin. And while scientists are still nailing down exactly how mental well-being leads to physical health, they do believe a sunny disposition is something that can be built with effort. Happy People Are Healthy People Doctors already know depression, anxiety, and other negative feelings are hard on your heart. For the new review, though, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found the reverse is also true: Positive emotions such as happiness, optimism, and finding meaning in life are linked to a lower risk for cardiovascular disease. (It may be one reason optimism helps you live longer.) The relationship held even after considering the effects of obesity, smoking, and other unhealthy traits and habits. �Above and beyond those typical risk factors, greater well-being seems to still offer this protection against heart disease,� says study author Julia Boehm, Ph.D. More from MensHealth.com: The Benefits of Optimism One explanation is that happy people tend to take care of themselves�they work out, eat vegetables, and get enough sleep, Boehm says. But there�s also a chance warm, fuzzy feelings directly change your biology, perhaps by causing your body to release substances like endorphins that may protect heart tissue. Your Optimism Workout Born more brooding than cheerful? Don�t worry: Practice may make you more positive, says Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., psychology professor at University of California, Riverside. Start flexing your �optimism muscle� with this easy-to-follow plan. Weekly: Spend 15 minutes each on these two exercises. First, pick a part of your life�career, love, fitness�and predict the perfect future five to 10 years down the line. �Imagine all your dreams coming true, and write about how you�d get there and what that feels like,� Lyubomirsky says. Next, write a thank-you note to someone who helped you in the past (but don�t send it). A 2011 study in the journal Emotion showed this combo boosted happiness after six months. More from MensHealth.com: Get the Most from Every Day Daily: Open a door for a stranger or pitch in on a colleague�s work project. �Every time we help people, we forget about our own problems and get instant happiness,� says counseling educator Diane Lang, M.A., author of �Creating Balance and Finding Happiness.� Daily acts of kindness improved satisfaction with life after just 10 days, found a 2010 study in The Journal of Social Psychology. (Want even more ways to boost your well-being?