Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery Information Sessions

Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said these 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.

Emerging research shows that being happier doesn’t just make you feel better — it actually brings a host of potential health benefits.

This article explores the ways in which being happy may make you healthier.

Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle

Being happy promotes a range of lifestyle habits that are important for overall health. Happy people tend to eat healthier diets, with higher intakes of fruits, vegetables and whole grains (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).

A study of more than 7,000 adults found that those with a positive well-being were 47% more likely to consume fresh fruits and vegetables than their less positive counterparts (3Trusted Source).

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have consistently been associated with a range of health benefits, including lower risks of diabetes, stroke and heart disease (4Trusted Source, 5, 6Trusted Source).

In the same study of 7,000 adults, researchers found that individuals with a positive well-being were 33% more likely to be physically active, with 10 or more hours of physical activity per week (3Trusted Source).

Regular physical activity helps build strong bones, increase energy levels, decrease body fat and lower blood pressure (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).

What’s more, being happier may also improve sleep habits and practices, which is important for concentration, productivity, exercise performance and maintaining a healthy weight (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).

One study of over 700 adults found that sleep problems, including trouble falling asleep and difficulty staying asleep, were 47% higher in those who reported low levels of positive well-being (13Trusted Source).

That said, a 2016 review of 44 studies concluded that, while there appears to be a link between positive well-being and sleep outcomes, further research from well-designed studies is needed to confirm the association (14).

SUMMARY:

Being happy may help promote a healthy lifestyle. Studies show that happier people are more likely to eat healthier diets and engage in physical activity.

Appears to Boost the Immune System

A healthy immune system is important for overall health. Research has shown that being happier may help keep your immune system strong (15Trusted Source).

This may help reduce your risk of developing colds and chest infections (16Trusted Source).

One study in over 300 healthy people looked at the risk of developing a cold after individuals were given a common cold virus via nasal drops.

The least happy people were almost three times as likely to develop the common cold compared to their happier counterparts (17Trusted Source).

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 have a high antibody response, a sign of a strong immune system (18Trusted Source).

The effects of happiness on the immune system are not completely understood.

It may be due to the impact of happiness on the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates your immune system, hormones, digestion and stress levels (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).

What’s more, happy people are more likely to take part in health-promoting behaviors that play a role in keeping the immune system strong. These include healthy eating habits and regular physical activity (17Trusted Source).

SUMMARY:

Being happy may help keep your immune system strong, which might help you fight off the common cold and chest infections.

HEALTHLINE CHALLENGE

Make 2022 the year you fit in fitness

Our Fit It In challenge has the motivating workout videos and exercise advice you need to reach your New Year’s goals. Join in via our Nutrition newsletter.

Enter your email

Your privacy is important to us

Helps Combat Stress

Being happy may help reduce stress levels (20, 21Trusted Source).

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

A number of studies demonstrate that cortisol levels tend to be lower when people are happier (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).

In fact, one study in over 200 adults gave participants a series of stressful lab-based tasks, and found that the cortisol levels in the happiest individuals were 32% lower than for unhappy participants (25Trusted Source).

These effects appeared to persist over time. When the researchers followed up with the same group of adults three years later, there was a 20% difference in cortisol levels between the happiest and least happy people (26Trusted Source).

SUMMARY:

Stress increases levels of the hormone cortisol, which can cause weight gain, disturbed sleep and high blood pressure. Happy people tend to produce lower levels of cortisol in response to stressful situations.

May Protect Your Heart

Happiness may protect the heart by reducing blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source).

A study of over 6,500 people over the age of 65 found that positive well-being was linked to a 9% lower risk of high blood pressure (29Trusted Source).

Happiness may also reduce the risk of heart disease, the biggest cause of death worldwide (30Trusted Source).

A number of studies have shown that being happy has been associated with a 13–26% lower risk of heart disease (31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source).

One long-term of 1,500 adults found that happiness helped protect against heart disease.

Happiness was associated with a 22% lower risk over the 10-year study period, even after risk factors were accounted for, such as age, cholesterol levels and blood pressure (34Trusted Source).

It appears that happiness may also help protect people who already have heart disease. A systematic review of 30 studies found that greater positive well-being in adults with established heart disease lowered the risk of death by 11% (35Trusted Source).

It is important to note that some of these effects may have been due to an increase in heart-healthy behaviors such as physical activity, avoiding smoking and healthy eating habits (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source).

That said, not all studies have found associations between happiness and heart disease (37Trusted Source).

In fact, a recent study that looked at nearly 1,500 individuals over a 12-year period found no association between positive well-being and the risk of heart disease (38Trusted Source).

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

SUMMARY: