Many factors can affect our happiness, from thoughts to smells in the air. Some factors you may not know have affected your satisfaction with life. Let’s sort out what you need to know about happiness.
1. Happiness has fragrance
If you want to be happier, stop and smell the flowers. Researchers at the University of Florida have found that the smell of flowers has a positive effect on mood. The study also found that the smell of some perfume can make people more selfless or selfish.
2. As you get older, your happiness will increase
You may think that youth is related to happiness, but in fact, according to the results of the Harris poll in 2013, the life satisfaction of the elderly is higher than that of the young. 50% of Americans over 65 feel very happy, while only 31% of young people aged 18-24 feel happy.
3. Junk food is not the only thing that makes you happy
The key to rapid happiness improvement also lies in your diet. It’s not just eating fried chicken and drinking beer to be happy. Nuts, tofu, milk and other foods all contain high tryptophan, which produces chemicals such as serotonin that can bring peace and happiness.
4. Weather affects happiness
If you live in temperate regions, you may become a happier person. Research has found that spring and summer, when the temperature is milder, can improve the happiness index. In winter, many people suffer from seasonal affective disorder, mainly because of lack of sunshine and temperature.
5. Giving can make you happier
Altruism will make us feel good whether it is through charity donations or some small acts of kindness. One study even found that volunteering can prolong life.
6. Happiness is contagious
A research article published in the British Medical Journal pointed out that if your close friend is happy, you have a 15% chance of being happier. Even those you don’t know well, their happiness will increase your probability of happiness by 6%.
7. A little nostalgia will let you see the bright side
A study published in the bulletin of personality and social psychology pointed out that memory of the past can help people maintain their sense of self-worth and promote positive cognition of the future. At the same time, nostalgia can make you feel less lonely, so if you want to be happy, you may as well turn over the old photo album.
8. Happy people like deeper conversations
Energetic people are often social experts, but they should not only talk about trivial gossip. Researchers at the University of Arizona have found that social interaction generates happiness when people have profound communication.
9. Music promotes happiness
Happy music = optimistic mood? A research article in the Journal of positive psychology pointed out that exciting music can make people have more positive emotions, and if they want to be happy, they must listen to happy and wonderful music more.
10. Sleep can keep more positive thoughts
The experiment found that college students remembered fewer positive words when they were short of sleep. A 2013 Cornell study found that a happy attitude to life can also help you get better sleep. Therefore, sleep and happiness are mutually reinforcing.
11. Gratitude can help you live a happier life
Researchers at the University of California have found that when you are grateful, you are more likely to be a happy person. Expressing gratitude is also a more optimistic attitude towards life prospects, which can help reduce stress.
12. Pets make you happier
After owning a pet, the brain will secrete oxytocin, so that we can be happier. This chemical can also help reduce stress levels and blood pressure.
13. People are happier in the morning
When the sun rises, your happiness will also rise. A Cornell study found that the smartest time of day is when you get up.
14. Exercise makes you happier
Research shows that 20 minutes of exercise can make a positive change in your mood. During exercise, the levels of feel good chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline also rise.
15. Positive emotions make you happier
A study by the University of North Carolina shows that those who have a positive attitude towards life are better able to recover from setbacks. In the experiment, participants with a positive attitude were more likely to recover from adversity and stress. Research has also found that positive emotions can make people’s bodies more resilient and their heart rates more stable.
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