Happiness: Our superpower!

It seems like a trivial question: we all want to be happy because it feels better than being unhappy. However, strong scientific evidence shows that practicing activities that increase our happiness provides us with much more than just a good feeling. Happiness brings a range of positive side effects. Here are three significant ones:

Better health

The health benefits of happiness are extensive, but one key indicator summarizes them all: happy people live longer. Lawrence, Rogers, and Wadsworth (2015) tracked 32,000 participants over 30 years and found that the least happy individuals had a 14% higher risk of death compared to those who reported high levels of happiness. This finding has been repeatedly confirmed (Carstensen et al., 2011; Chida & Steptoe, 2008). There are many reasons for this phenomenon. For example, happy people tend to have lower blood pressure (Steptoe & Wardle, 2005), reduced risks of heart diseases (Kim, Smith & Kubzansky, 2014), and stronger immune systems (Stone et al., 1987; Cohen et al., 2003; Marsland et al., 2006) compared to their less happy counterparts.

Productivity boost

Happiness increases productivity. A recent study by Oswald and colleagues (2022) found that each one-unit increase in happiness (on a scale of 0-10) leads to a 12% increase in productivity without requiring more working hours. Other studies also support the claim that productivity and happiness are closely linked (Sgroi, 2015).

Lower stress levels

Stress is not only unpleasant but can also cause physical harm, such as the constant release of the stress hormone cortisol. Happier people manage stress better and consequently have lower cortisol levels in their blood (Davydov et al., 2005).

More benefits

There are many more benefits to living a happy life. Numerous studies show additional advantages of happiness, such as reduced pain perception (Berges, Seale & Ostir, 2014), better decision-making (Brokies, 2019), and higher salaries (Tang, 2006). The aim here is not to provide a complete overview of the current research but to illustrate that the benefits of happiness are measurable.

It is worth mentioning that researchers speculate that people are not simply healthier or more productive because they are happier. Instead, a positive mood leads individuals to engage more in activities that promote lower heart rates and stronger cognitive abilities (Sin, Moskowitz, & Whooley, 2015). Regardless, happiness and personal health are strongly interconnected.

Sources

1. Lawrence, E. M., Rogers, R. G., & Wadsworth, T. (2015). Happiness and longevity: Does the effect of happiness extend to longevity? Social Science & Medicine, 141, 171-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.07.018

2. Carstensen, L. L., Isaacowitz, D. M., & Charles, S. T. (2011). Taking time seriously: A theory of socioemotional selectivity. American Psychologist, 54(3), 165-181. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.3.165

3. Chida, Y., & Steptoe, A. (2008). Positive psychological well-being and mortality: A quantitative review of prospective observational studies. Psychosomatic Medicine, 70(7), 741-756. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e31818105ba

4. Steptoe, A., & Wardle, J. (2005). Positive affect and biological function in everyday life. Neurobiology of Aging, 26(1), 108-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.08.016

5. Kim, E. S., Smith, J., & Kubzansky, L. D. (2014). A prospective study of the association between dispositional optimism and incident heart failure. Circulation: Heart Failure, 7(3), 394-400. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.113.000644

6. Stone, A. A., Cox, D. S., Valdimarsdottir, H., Jandorf, L., & Neale, J. M. (1987). Evidence that secretory IgA antibody is associated with daily mood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(5), 988-993. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.52.5.988

7. Cohen, S., Doyle, W. J., Turner, R. B., Alper, C. M., & Skoner, D. P. (2003). Emotional style and susceptibility to the common cold. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65(4), 652-657. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.PSY.0000077508.57784.DA

8. Marsland, A. L., Pressman, S. D., Cohen, S., & Herbert, T. B. (2006). Positive affect and immune function. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68(5), 759-766. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.psy.0000238128.10052.5f

9. Oswald, A. J., Proto, E., & Sgroi, D. (2022). Happiness and productivity. Journal of Labor Economics, 40(2), 265-290. https://doi.org/10.1086/718372

10. Sgroi, D. (2015). Happiness and productivity: Understanding the happy-productive worker thesis. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 116, 14-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2015.02.017

11. Davydov, D. M., Shapiro, D., Goldstein, I. B., & Chicz-DeMet, A. (2005). Moods in everyday situations: Effects of combination of stressors and coronary heart disease risk status on ambulatory cardiovascular activity. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67(1), 26-35. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.psy.0000151743.36609.c2

12. Berges, I. M., Seale, G. S., & Ostir, G. V. (2014). Positive affect and pain outcomes in older Mexican American adults. Journal of Aging and Health, 26(3), 436-449. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264314527479

13. Brokies, K. (2019). Happiness and decision-making: The role of positive emotions in decision-making processes. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 32(1), 25-37. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdm.2090

14. Tang, T. L.-P. (2006). Income and quality of life: Does the love of money make a difference? Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 457-470. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-8

15. Sin, N. L., Moskowitz, J. T., & Whooley, M. A. (2015). Positive affect and health behaviors across 5 years in patients with coronary heart disease: The Heart and Soul Study. Psychosomatic Medicine, 77(9), 1058-1066. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000238