Happiness Research

#happiness

"Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole goal and end of human existence".

Aristotle said those words more than 2,000 years ago and they still ring true today. Happiness is a broad term that describes the experience of positive emotions such as joy, contentment, and satisfaction.

Recent research shows that not only does being happier make you feel better - it also comes with a whole host of potential health benefits.

How can happiness make you healthier?

Being happy encourages a range of lifestyle habits that are important to overall health. Happy people tend to eat healthier foods, with higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

A study of more than 7,000 adults found that those with a positive sense of wellbeing were 47% more likely to consume fresh fruit and vegetables than their less positive peers.

Diets high in fruits and vegetables have been consistently linked to a range of health benefits, including a reduced risk of diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

In the same study of 7,000 adults, researchers found that those with a positive sense of wellbeing were 33% more likely to be physically active, with 10 or more hours of physical activity per week.

Regular physical activity helps build strong bones, increase energy levels, decrease body fat, and lower blood pressure.

Healthy sleep

In addition, increased happiness can also improve sleep patterns, which is important for focus, productivity, physical performance, and maintaining a healthy weight.

A study of over 700 adults found that sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep, were 47% higher among those reporting low levels of positive well-being.

Still, a 2016 review of 44 studies concluded that while there appears to be an association between positive well-being and sleep outcomes, more research from well-designed studies is needed to confirm these findings.

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Does Happiness Boost the Immune System?

A healthy immune system is important for overall health. Research has shown that living a happier life can help keep your immune system strong. This can help reduce the risk of colds and infections.

A study of over 300 healthy people looked at the risk of catching a cold after people were given a common cold virus through nasal drops. The unhappiest people were almost three times as likely to catch a cold as their happier peers.

In another study, researchers gave 81 university students a vaccine against hepatitis B, a virus that attacks the liver. Happier students were nearly twice as likely to develop a high antibody response, a sign of a strong immune system.
The effects of happiness on the immune system are not fully understood.

It may be due to the effects of happiness on the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates the immune system, hormones, digestion, and stress levels.

Additionally, happy people are more likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors that play a role in maintaining a strong immune system. This includes healthy eating habits and regular physical activity.

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happiness and stress

Being happy can help reduce stress levels!

Normally, excessive stress causes an increase in cortisol levels, a hormone that contributes to many of the harmful effects of stress, including trouble sleeping, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

A number of studies show that cortisol levels tend to be lower when people are happier.

In a study of over 200 adult participants, the lab found that the happiest people had 32% lower cortisol levels than the unhappiest people.

These effects seemed to persist over time. When the researchers followed up the same group of adults three years later, there was a 20% difference in cortisol levels between the happiest and the unhappiest people.

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Can happiness protect against heart disease?

Happiness can protect the heart by lowering blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease!

A study of over 6,500 people over the age of 65 found that positive well-being is associated with a 9% lower risk of high blood pressure.

Happiness can also reduce your risk of heart disease, the world's leading killer.

A number of studies have shown that being happy reduces the risk of heart disease by 13-26%.

A longitudinal study of 1,500 adults also found that happiness helps protect against heart disease. The happy adults had a 22% lower risk over the 10-year study period, even after accounting for risk factors such as age, cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

It seems that even if you already have heart disease, luck can help protect you. A systematic review of 30 studies found that greater positive well-being in adults with established heart disease reduced the risk of death by 11%.

It's important to note that some of these effects may be due to an increase in heart-healthy behaviors, such as physical activity, avoidance of smoking, and healthy eating habits.

However, a recent study that looked at nearly 1,500 people over a 12-year period found no association between positive well-being and the risk of heart disease.

More high-quality, well-designed research is needed in this area.

Summary:
Being happier can help lower blood pressure, which in turn can reduce your risk of heart disease. However, more research is needed.

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Can happiness prolong life expectancy?

Being happy can help you live longer!

A long-term study published in 2015 looked at the impact of luck on survival rates of 32,000 people.

The risk of death over the 30-year study period was 14% higher in unhappier people than in happier people.

A major review of 70 studies examined the link between positive well-being and longevity in both healthy people and people with a pre-existing health condition, such as heart or kidney disease.

Greater positive well-being has been found to have a beneficial effect on old age, reducing the risk of death by 18% in healthy people and 2% in those with a pre-existing condition.

How happiness can lead to longer lifespans is not well understood.

It can be explained in part by an increase in positive behaviors that prolong survival, such as not smoking, being physically active, taking medication, and good sleep habits.

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Can Happiness Reduce Pain?

Arthritis is a common condition associated with inflammation and degeneration of the joints. It causes painful and stiff joints and generally gets worse with age.

A number of studies have found that greater positive well-being can reduce pain and stiffness associated with the condition.

Being happy can also improve physical functioning in people with arthritis.

A study of over 1,000 people with painful arthritis of the knee found that happier people walked 711 extra steps a day - 8.5% more than their less happier peers.

Happiness can also help reduce pain from other conditions. A study of nearly 1,000 people recovering from stroke found that the happiest people experienced 13% less pain after three months in the hospital.

Researchers have suggested that happy people may have lower pain ratings because their positive emotions help broaden their perspective and encourage new thoughts and ideas.

They believe this can help people develop effective coping strategies that decrease their perception of pain.

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Ways to increase happiness

Being happy doesn't just mean you feel better - it's also incredibly beneficial for your health. Here are 7 scientifically proven ways to become happier.

Expressing Gratitude: You can increase your happiness by focusing on the things you are grateful for. One way to practice gratitude is to write down three things you're grateful for at the end of each day
Get active: Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio, is the most effective type of exercise for increasing happiness. Going for a walk or playing tennis is not only good for your physical health, but also helps to lift your spirits.
Get a good night's sleep: lack of sleep can negatively impact your happiness. If you're having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, read these tips for better sleep.
Spend a lot of time outdoors: Go for a walk in the park or get your hands dirty in the garden. Just five minutes of outdoor exercise is enough to significantly improve your mood.
Meditate: Regular meditation can increase happiness and also bring a number of other benefits, including reducing stress and improving sleep.
Eating healthy: Studies show that the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the happier you become. In addition, eating more fruits and vegetables also improves your health in the long term.
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