Everything will be fine: How to become happy - according to scientists
Understanding perfectly well that people feel happiness differently, scientists, however, are actively studying this issue. And every year it becomes more relevant, because the level of stress affecting our subjective well-being (read: happiness) is steadily increasing. Perhaps it is just the constant stress overload that caused the doctors to talk about chernophobia, fear of happiness, as a real form of anxiety. According to experts, this can occur for various reasons, but more often because of the belief in the everyday theory of "life as a zebra", which assumes that if you are happy now, then something bad will happen to you.
Recently, a Harvard professor Ashley Willans made a shocking statement: every day we miss our five minutes of happiness, believing that nothing particularly good will happen in such a short period of time. We offer to promise yourself not to do this anymore. And how happiness works in general - let's figure it out right now.
Text: Marina Levicheva
What happens to the brain when we are happy
The part of the brain that processes and regulates emotions is called the limbic system. It is here that there are four basic types of chemicals that provide sensations and emotions that we used to call happiness.
First, it is endorphins, opioid neuropeptides, which are mainly produced by the nervous system in order to reduce physical pain, when necessary. One of the easiest ways to get them, by the way, is sport. Secondly, serotonin, one of the main neurotransmitters, also known as the "hormone of happiness." Third, dopamine, which is part of the reward system of the brain. Its development makes us perform certain actions again and again, and it is based on it any dependence - from romantic to narcotic. Finally, oxytocin, also known as the "attachment hormone", which is produced in large quantities during childbirth and breastfeeding, providing a link between mother and child, and during orgasm, promoting attachment to a partner.
Is it possible to prolong the feeling of happiness
Scientists think it is quite possible. For example, if someone seeks not certain manifestations of happiness, but fortunately in general, he usually feels better - in this matter specific goals (such as “meeting friends with the weekend and going to the bar”) are less effective than abstract (just "have a good weekend").
In this context, the results of another study are interesting, where shopping and traveling were seen as two alternative ways to feel happier. It turned out that people who receive positive emotions from impressions, be it a trip to the zoo or a parachute jump, feel happiness more intensely. But buying a skateboard, jeans or a new couch can bring more happiness in the long run.
The paradox of "absolute happiness"
Every person has acquaintances who claim that they are completely happy, having what they have and being where they are. If this is true, then they are lucky - according to scientists, the majority of people feel absolute happiness here and now is not very good. Because of the peculiarities of our psyche, the present seems to be trapped between a happy past and a happy future: for example, an optimistic prejudice is characteristic of most people - the tendency to think that their future will be better than the present.
"Hedonistic treadmill" associated with attempts to run for a new goal and new happiness, since the previous achievement did not bring the happiness that was expected, makes the situation even less rosy. On the other hand, many of us are characterized by the "Pollyanna principle", named after the cheerful heroine of the book Eleanor Porter. Its essence comes down to the fact that people tend to memorize good things from the past, ignoring troubles - that is why memories, if it is not something out of the ordinary, are usually filled with warm sadness. Add that if you believe the researchers of the London School of Economics, each of us has a chance for absolute happiness in 23 years and 69 years.
Is it true that happiness is in our hands
A cited study from 1996 says that about 50% of the happiness in our lives is genetically determined - this was shown by experiments with identical twins. Sounds pretty hopeless. However, modern scientists criticize the work for a limited sample (36 pairs of twins from Minnesota), noting that on its basis it is strange to draw conclusions about the entire human population. It seems that genetics doesn't really solve that much.
In 2005, the University of California published its findings on the topic, saying that life circumstances, such as income, position in society and having a loved one nearby, only by 10% determine the level of happiness in our lives. But 40% of happiness depends on everyday experience: a favorite song in a coffee shop, a smile of a passerby and other trifles.
How the pursuit of happiness (sometimes) spoils everything
The pursuit of happiness can sometimes prevent you from being happy. There is an assumption that when a person very much seeks to be happy, he more acutely feels the lack of time, which ultimately makes him more unhappy. In addition, the pursuit of happiness often involves concentrating on personal gain, which can damage relationships with others and lead to loneliness. Hurt the inner well-being can and setting high goals, which, as it seems to us, will lead to happiness, but which are difficult to achieve. Because it has long been known that just small and concrete goals help to achieve impressive results.
On the benefits of happiness for the physical and emotional state, you can write a separate text. We will not go into details, but simply note that, according to research, the feeling of happiness helps us to eat right and stay physically active, strengthens the immune system and helps to cope with stress, reduces the risk of heart disease and increases longevity. Simply put, provides all possible bonuses.
Happiness is not in money
No matter how immutable this truth may seem, happiness can still be measured in monetary terms. After analyzing the answers of nearly two million volunteers from different countries, scientists from Purdue University found that a person needs about 95 thousand dollars (a little over 6 million rubles at the current rate) to be happy. But that, in fairness, for total happiness. To feel the emotional well-being, enough 60 thousand dollars.
There is something more real about buying happiness. If the billionaire uncle is not in a hurry to rewrite the villa in the suburbs of Paris, you can buy happiness through the purchase of time. The ability to pay professionals for some mandatory, but time-consuming business (for example, cleaning an apartment or cooking dinner) really makes people happier. The idea of a food delivery subscription has never been so attractive.
Smile - does not always mean happiness
A smile makes a person more attractive in the eyes of others, but she does not always act as a marker of happiness. New research has confirmed what psychologists have said before: a smile is not about joy, but about involvement in the process. Moreover, as the computer quiz experiment showed, this also works when a person interacts with gadgets (this is why we so often smile while looking at the phone).
Cultural aspect cannot be excluded. It is no coincidence that foreigners are surprised that people in Russia hardly smile at all. It’s all about cultural norms, which in our country do not associate a smile with an attitude towards a person, whereas in the United States it often signals a positive assessment of the interlocutor.
Does happiness have a dark side
Have you heard anything about schadenfroud, happiness about the failure of another? Despite the fact that the German word has an adequate translation ("gloating"), it is rarely translated. Perhaps because actually gloating is only one of the forms of the phenomenon, due to rivalry. Two more forms are explained by the desire for social justice (for example, the joy of the news that the official was imprisoned for bribes) and the strengthening of his position as a member of the group.
As for the harm to happiness for health, there is little information about this. The 2011 survey mentions the ability of too much happiness to block creativity, as well as its connection with the lack of negative emotions in life that contribute to emotional stability.
Can a person never experience happiness
Although it seems strange, it is still possible. For example, this can happen during a depressive episode, when a person is completely absorbed by negative emotions (meaning a situation when the state is not corrected by drugs and psychotherapy). A rarer version is alexithymia (emotional color blindness). People with this condition have difficulty expressing emotions and may not experience them at all.
Happiness alone is real
Although scientists recognize that we need social contacts to be happy, the absence of a romantic relationship does not make a person unhappy and even less happy. Friendship in this sense is more important than family, so all you need are some close friends.
A recent study on the topic showed that a happier life for those who are free from loving obligations can boast more time for social contacts and personal growth. Although people in a relationship have many reasons to feel happy. Simply put, complete freedom of choice.
Five simple ways to become happier:
Friendship with optimists: research shows that happiness, like flu, is spreading in groups of people. Moreover, not only friends, but also relatives and friends of friends "are infected" with it. Best of all, this effect lasts up to a year. And what is most surprising, sadness spreads so much slower.
Moving to a small city: the level of happiness can be associated with population density, because in small cities people are usually happier than in big cities. The secret, as an option, is the ability to quickly get to work (and home) and affordable housing prices.
Healthy eating habits: since the scientists found out that the charming intestines in one way or another influences everything that happens to us, it became clear that the nutrition system is even more important than previously thought. If you believe the research, you need to make a bet on vegetables and fruits, a small amount of dark chocolate and coffee, and even probiotics.
The habit of sitting upright: a Norwegian study found that in people with mild and moderate depressive symptoms, posture control exercises improved mood here and now. And at the end of the day, they felt less tired and happier.
Bodypositive: as scientists from the University of Bristol found out, using the genetic data of the British Biobank, people with a higher BMI are less susceptible to stress, are calmer and happier in general.
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