Come On, Get Happy

Did you know that being happy is scientifically proven to be ood for your overall health? Here’s how to use the power of positivity to your advantage.

- Kate Daley

THERE’S A FAMOUS HARVARD STUDY ABOUT happiness. The 80-year study – one of the longest in history – found that men who lived the longest and healthiest lives didn’t have the most money or the best genes; they were those who had the best relationships with others. In effect, those who were the healthiest and lived the longest were also the happiest. Of course, other lifestyle factors, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, played important roles as well, but the researchers concluded that satisfaction with relationships and life were good predictors of healthy aging.

Studies show that well-being is associated with multiple health factors, including healthy immune system function, cardiovascular health and a decreased risk of dying. “The overwhelming consensus in research is that happiness and positive emotions have some definite physical benefits,” says Dr. Tayyab Rashid, a clinical psychologist in Toronto. “But it’s not a chicken-and-egg quandary. The arrow is from happiness toward health, not from health toward happiness.”