Dick Van Dyke, the legendary American actor and comedian who starred in classics such as Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, turned 100 on December 13, 2025.
The beloved actor credits his remarkable longevity to his positive outlook and never getting angry.
Longevity depends on many factors. These include genetics and lifestyle. There is some truth to Van Dyke’s claims.
Numerous studies have shown that keeping stress levels low and maintaining a positive, optimistic outlook are correlated with longevity.
For instance, in the early 1930s, researchers asked a group of 678 novice nuns to write an autobiography. Most of these nuns were around 22 years of age when they joined a convent.
Six decades later, researchers analyzed their works. They also compared their analyses with the women’s long-term health outcomes.
The researchers found that women who expressed more positive emotion early in life lived longer. For example, saying they felt grateful instead of resentful. These women lived an average of ten years longer than those whose writing tended to be more negative.
A UK study also found that optimistic people lived longer. Their lifespan was between 11% and 15% longer than their pessimistic counterparts.
Around 160,000 women from a range of ethnic backgrounds participated in the study. The results found that those who reported being more optimistic were more likely to live into their 90s. This was in comparison to pessimists.
One potential explanation for these outcomes is related to the effects anger has on our heart.
People with a more positive or optimistic outlook on life tend to manage their anger better. This is important, as anger can have a number of significant effects on the body.
Anger triggers the release of adrenaline and cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormones – particularly in men. Even brief angry outbursts can lead to a decline in cardiovascular health.
Chronic stress and anger add strain to the cardiovascular system. This strain has been linked to an increased risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
These diseases account for roughly 75% of early deaths. While stress and anger aren’t the only causes of these diseases, they contribute to them significantly.
So when Dick Van Dyke says he doesn’t get angry, it may well be one of the reasons for his longevity.
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We just yesterday watched a recent interview with Dick Van Dyke. I noted that his answer to the question about how did he live to be 100 was just that – no anger and no hate. These are corrosive and generally unproductive emotions. Hard to avoid ALL the time, but they are manageable. This has actually been my outlook all my life. I think I got it from my mom and dad.
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