Can being happy make you healthy?
This article caught me off-guard last week with worldwide secrets to happiness (it’s a must-read). Upon revisiting it this morning, I was inspired to do a quick Google search for fun, “Can happiness help your immune system?”
Quick answer: Yes.
Something that I vowed to do this year was work on clearing my thoughts. Humans can have up to 80,000 thoughts (or more) per day. EIGHTY THOUSAND. As I have been editing meditation scripts for my freelance gig, I’ve quickly learned that most thoughts we have are either about the past or the future. None of which matter. At all.
One simple goal of mindfulness and meditation is to, classically, “Be Here Now" and live in the present moment. To drop those anxious thoughts about something you did last week or to stop fearing something that may happen next month. Easier said than done, right?
What my quick Google search this morning reinforced is how much our thoughts can control feelings of happiness. Yes, being happy affects our overall wellness (read below), but even more so, negative thoughts can impact our health more than we think (stress-induced illness, etc.) and can hinder us from living in a joyous, present way.
Healthline states, “Emerging research shows that being happier doesn’t just make you feel better — it actually brings a host of potential health benefits.”
Healthline goes on to explain how happier people tend to eat healthier, are more likely to exercise, possibly sleep better, have stronger immune systems overall, and more.
In this Psychology Today article, research shows how feelings of happiness lead to an enhanced immune system response in multiple instances.
As I continue to read articles like this, there is more research that supports the happiness x health notion with ideas ranging from how our brain is directly wired to our immune system, stress and negative emotions cause illness and vice versa, placebo effect, and more. But, I can’t help but return to overthinking how the more we can clear our thoughts, the more happiness and health we can welcome in.
Thoughts on thoughts
Though we know happiness to be an emotion — something we feel — what I’m starting to wonder more about is how feeling happy can be incredibly dependent on our thoughts. If we are stuck ruminating on the past or future, we might miss out on feeling joy, contentment, or satisfaction that’s presented to us in the present moment.
As I mentioned, this year I’m focusing on clearing my mind, or not getting stuck in thoughts of the past or future, and I think maybe now one motivation behind this is to experience more happiness on a daily basis. Here are some things I’m incorporating, reminding myself of, or trying to implement. Come along this ride with me, and let me know if you come up with techniques to help calm your thoughts.
At least ten minutes of mindfulness meditation per day. A few of my favorite resources for this include Solluna free meditations, Glo’s Daily Mindfulness, and Headspace.
A quick gratitude list before falling asleep. (Shoot, I’ve slept on this one for a couple of weeks, but I promise I’ll get back to it! How much we are affected by what we think right before we go to bed is profound, which is why people promote gratitude before bed so often. If you struggle with the concept of a gratitude list, try making a quick note on your phone of a few unexpectedly pleasant things that happened throughout your day.)
Do something that inspires good feelings at least once per day. This can be anything from calling a loved one, doing something outside, or noticing that your food tastes good.
Be open to talking about things instead of letting them stew.
Exercises to get my heart rate pumping as often as I can.
At the end of 2020, I wrote about simple ways we can invite more mindfulness into our days effortlessly. Check out this blog post that includes tips for incorporating mindfulness in everyday moments.
Reframing what can inspire happiness: Clear your mind to make room for your own version of joy.
Living healthy can be hard, there is no denying that. Living healthy in a pandemic with constant weather threats and climate change reminders is even harder.
Coming back to the article I referenced above, happiness values span worldwide from embracing sadness, spending time on hobbies, caring less/doing nothing, going outside, finding your happy place, and mending broken ceramics.
This simply shows that feelings (or thoughts) of happiness can be so malleable that you have the chance to make it your own. This is just a simple reminder that working toward clearing our thoughts and welcoming in joyous moments throughout the day is just another piece of the living healthy puzzle.
