Poets, scientists, and philosophers for many centuries agree that happiness lies in the meaningful simple things in life. We have a list of things that will help you be happier but keep in mind that everyone is different, and we enjoy different things. Remember to also practice what you love whether reading, kickboxing, swimming, singing, dancing, and anything in between. You can have fun by placing bets and playing slot games on NetBet but it also comes with a risk and not with long-term happiness.
How To Be Happy: 10 Scientific Tips For True Happiness
1. Exercise More (but not necessarily much)
A few months ago a New York Times article claimed that a 12-step workout program of just 7 minutes is as much as you need for perfect fitness. So if until now your usual excuse was that you do not have time for exercise, you are now left without an excuse.
After all, exercise is not only necessary for our physical condition but also our mental health, and it has been proven to be very effective against depression. Of course, this does not mean that one has to be on the verge of depression to benefit from exercise! It also helps you relax, makes your mind work better, and improves your self-esteem. A study published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that people who exercise feel better about their bodies, even if they do not lose a gram.
2. Sleep More
Sleep is essential for us because it helps the body rest, the body repair damage, and our mind to be able to concentrate better. But it seems to be just as necessary to make us feel happy. You can also try Joy Organics CBD which will help aid in your sleeping and of course boost your mood.
To better understand how this is done, consider the following: Lack of sleep affects more the hippocampus (the area of the brain that processes positive and neutral experiences) and less the amygdala (the area where negative stimuli are processed). Thus, when we do not sleep well we find it difficult to recall pleasant experiences, while we have no particular problem remembering what made us feel bad.
In a related experiment conducted by the University of California Sleep Lab, students with poor sleep habits were asked to memorize a list of dozens of words. Most could later remember 81% of words that evoke negative emotions, such as "cancer," but only 31% of words with a positive or neutral meaning, such as "sunshine" or "basket." The amount and quality of sleep significantly affect our mood as soon as we wake up and this can have consequences on how we spend our whole day.
3. Find a Home Near Work
The path you need to take to get to work every day can significantly affect your right to happiness. Just the fact that you need to do it twice a day, at least five days a week, is enough to understand that in the long run, it can make you less and less happy.
In fact, according to research by Swiss scientists, our effort to compensate for our daily inconvenience in moving by acquiring a bigger house or a better professional position cannot offer us the peace of mind that the long journey to and from work deprives us of.
4. Spend More Time With Your Friends and Family
It sounds a bit macabre but it's good to know that one of the first five things people regret when they feel close to death is that they did not spend as much time with their friends and relatives as they would like. However, one does not need to be at the end of one's life to appreciate the joy that the company of one's family can offer.
Many studies have shown that the time we spend with them significantly affects how happy we feel. When interviewed in March 2008, George Welland, director of a 72-year scientific study involving 268 people, was asked what the most important piece of knowledge he gained from the study was. "The fact that the only thing that matters in life it is our relationships with others".
5. Go Out
Scientists believe that the time we spend in the fresh air is an important indicator of the happiness we feel. In fact, according to the American Meteorological Society, we feel the positive emotions to the maximum when we are at a temperature of 13.9 degrees Celsius.
Research has shown that 20 minutes in the open air when the weather is good not only lifts the mood but broadens the horizons of our thinking and improves memory. In addition, another study from the University of Sussex found that we are at our best when we are outside, near the sea on a sunny afternoon.
6. Offer your help
Do you want a life full of positive emotions? Then set a goal to help your fellow human beings 100 hours a year (about two hours a week). This is the "magic" number that ensures happiness, according to Eric Barker, one of the leading scientists trying to apply elements from the science of human behavior to working conditions.
Research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies has shown that when we buy something to give to someone else we get much more positive emotions than when we buy something for ourselves.
The same goes for time: the hours we dedicate to volunteering and giving to our fellow human beings bring us closer to true happiness. In fact, according to the founder of the science of Positive Psychology Martin Selingman, an act of kindness instantly increases the sense of well-being more than any other act that has been studied by scientists.
7. Plan a Trip (but don't do it)
When we plan a trip or even a small escape from our daily life we significantly increase the levels of happiness we feel - something that does not apply when we go on vacation. As research published in the Applied Research in Quality-of-Life Review showed throughout the journey, the point that is most associated with a strong sense of satisfaction is when it comes to organizing it.
On the contrary, immediately after our return, happiness "falls" vertically to normal levels. So even if you do not have any time or money to go on vacation, this is not a reason not to take a calendar and write down a date on which you would love to go to Paris or even a weekend somewhere close by. It's all you need to feel much happier at the moment.
8. Practise Meditation
It is known to help concentration, attention, and clarity of thought, but newer research also links meditation to happiness. Like the one at Massachusetts General Hospital. There, experts studied brain imaging of 16 people before and after attending an eight-week meditation program.
The conclusion was that after the completion of the program some areas of the brain, such as those associated with compassion and self-awareness had grown while those associated with stress had shrunk. So it seems that meditation literally "cleanses" the mind of what hurts it. Its positive effect increases over time.
9. Smile
In addition, the smile increases our ability to focus our attention and think holistically. It is also a good and easy way to reduce our stress in situations where we feel uncomfortable. Even by force, if we manage to burst out smiling, it will be enough to feel happier at the moment.
10. Be Grateful
There are many ways to do this, such as keeping a diary where you write down every day what is happening for which you owe gratitude or talking every night with a friend or partner about three good things that happened during the day.
In experiments based on such practices, participants who kept notes of what made them feel grateful were in a much better mood overall. In a study published in the Review of the Journal of Happiness Studies, 219 participants wrote three letters expressing their gratitude over three weeks.
The researchers found that dealing with these letters alone increased the levels of happiness they felt while reducing their depressive symptoms.
I'd vouch for 2, 4, 9 and 10. No. 5 is out of the question at this point in time...and I'm not into No. 1...unfortunately. LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteActually you can still do number. Just don't go to crowded places. :D
DeleteA good list for people who have a difficult time trying to be happy.
ReplyDeleteSimple list to regain control over your life. :D
DeleteNo. 2, 4 & 5 are very practical for me!
ReplyDelete