Everyone strives to be happy. It has always been the aim and end of human existence, just like how the great Greek philosopher Aristotle puts it. But does it have anything to do with your health? Interestingly, yes. One's happiness can powerfully impact well-being. There is a good amount of research available to prove that.

The impact of happiness
Happiness, or a sense of optimism, contentment, and joy, brings about a positive attitude that translates to various physical and mental health benefits. It affects your life more than you imagine.

There are many ways to be happy, but it is not always easy to choose happiness over a wealth of moods and emotions that may come to you each moment. Some people find it helpful to get a boost from alternative practices to invite positivity into their lives. That way, they could maximise the benefits of being happy in keeping the body, mind, and spirit healthy.

Happiness improves your physical health
Happiness reduces the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. It also showed effects on keeping the immune system strong. In addition, it is the perfect antidote to stress, which makes it useful for better sleep and relaxation.
Happiness inspires you to maintain normal body weight. Experts say it promotes a healthy lifestyle because happy people are less likely to do stress eating or lag behind their workout schedules.
If you think about it, things work both ways. When you are happy, your habits bring even more happiness into your life. A balanced diet, regular workouts, and improved sleep quality are essential ingredients to maintain your joy.

Happiness for mental health
In the case of mental health, happiness helps to enhance cognitive abilities. It can improve your problem-solving skills and engage you in a can-do attitude. It also builds intellectual resources and your ability to bounce back from adversity.

Other ways happiness boosts your health
There are various studies to prove the difference that happiness can make in one's well-being, and they found almost the same things:
 

• That happiness increases energy levels, improving your productivity and performance.
• That happy people are three times less likely to contract flu and the common cold symptoms.
• That happiness may reduce pain, including in people who have arthritis. A positive emotional state enhances a person's resiliency and coping strategy, thereby reducing their pain perception.

Ultimately, happiness has been directly associated with an extended lifespan. Survival rates and life expectancy looked good among 32,000 respondents in a long-term PubMed Central study released in 2015. It showed the risk of death among happy individuals to be 14% lower than their counterparts. So, expect to live longer and healthier if you enjoy your life and always aim to be happy. Express your gratitude, spend time on activities that lift your mood, and always choose happiness. You can never go wrong with it.

Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/man-woman-dog-pet-pug-owners-2425121/
 

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