When it comes to our health, happiness is key. Numerous studies show that happiness has a positive effect on our well-being and can even help improve our physical health. Here are 10 reasons why happiness is best for your health:

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James

by Cynthia Wilcox

for Assorted Ideas, Large & Small

Happiness helps us manage stress better.

Happiness releases neurochemicals in the brain that counteract the effects of stress. For example, dopamine is released when we experience pleasure, and it helps improve our moods and relieve stress. Oxytocin is another hormone that is released during moments of happiness. It reduces stress levels.

So overall, happiness does a better job of managing stress than wallowing in negative emotions. When we’re happy, our brains are releasing neurochemicals that help to improve our moods and reduce stress levels – which is great for our health!

When we’re happy, our cortisol levels (stress hormone) are lower and our overall health is improved.” – Gretchen Rubin

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.” – William James

Happiness boosts your immune system.

One study showed that happy people have more natural killer cells, which are a type of white blood cell that fights off infection and disease.

In addition, happiness has been linked with reduced rates of heart disease, better sleep quality, and even longer life spans.

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” – Albert Einstein

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Happiness improves our physical health.

So we know that happiness has a lot of benefits for our mental health, but what about our physical health? Well, it turns out that happiness is great for our physical health too! For example, when we’re happy our heart rate and blood pressure are lower, we have more energy, and we’re less likely to get sick.

“The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness.” – William Saroyan

“It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.” – Agnes Repplier

Happiness can help protect us from heart disease.

One study showed that people who were classified as “happy” had less heart disease than those who were not happy. And another study showed that positive emotions helped to protect the heart after a stressful event.

“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.” Michel de Montaigne

“People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln

Happiness can improve our overall mood.

Happiness has been linked with lower levels of depression, and it has been associated with less anxiety.

“Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. There’s going to be stress in life, but it’s your choice whether you let it affect you or not.” – Nikki Yanofsky

“Don’t wait for things to get better; smile now and get better.” – Swami Sivananda

Happiness can help reduce anxiety and depression.

When we’re feeling down, it can be tough to pull ourselves out of it. But happiness can actually help reduce anxiety and depression. For example, when people with depression listened to happy music, their moods improved.

“The greatest things in life are not things.” – Henry David Thoreau

“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” – Jim Rohn

Happiness makes us more resilient to pain.

One study showed that happier people were able to tolerate more pain than those who were not happy. And another study showed that happiness helped to reduce the intensity of pain.

“The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.” – Bertrand Russell

“The only way to find true happiness is to risk being completely vulnerable.” – Steven Covey

Happiness can help us live longer.

Happy people live an average of 7.5 years longer than those who are not happy. And a study showed that positive emotions protect the heart after a stressful event.

“You know, it’s funny. All this talk about being in control, about taking charge of one’s life. It really is a load of crap, isn’t it? Because if you’re not careful, the world will do it for you.” – The Edge in “City of Angels”

“It’s not about what happens to you, it’s about how you react to what happens to you.” – Epictetus

Happiness is contagious and can inspire others around us.

One study showed that happiness was contagious and could spread from one person to another. And another showed that happiness can inspire others around us to be happier too.

“Your work is to discover who you are and then with all your heart give your light to the world.” – Jennifer Williamson