Keys To Happiness According To Science
In absolutely exceptional circumstances, finding moments of emotional well-being can help us. In this article, we offer you some ideas backed by science.
Being happy is possible. There is more and more evidence. Although this is a relatively recent field of study, there is a great deal of research suggesting that humans have the ability to attain the keys to happiness even under difficult circumstances.
Indeed, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can feel very far from the concept of well-being. However, even in the most complicated situations in life, we can find times to celebrate our existence and come closer to the idea of happiness.
What exactly is happiness?
Happiness is an abstract concept that many researchers have studied for decades. Each of them has given its own definition and we find dozens of them.
Some focus on experiencing positive emotions and states. On the other hand, others focus more on the equivalence of happiness to the absence of fear or adversities.
A very interesting vision is the proposal of engineer Mo Gawdat. This former Google employee went through a particularly difficult situation. Her son died during appendicitis surgery due to medical negligence.
Due to his own suffering, Gawdat established a mathematical formula in which he gives an explanation for our happiness. According to his approach, happiness equates to the events in our life minus the expectations of how they should unfold.
This means that we suffer when we reject what is happening because we think it should be otherwise. The same goes for any other difficult situation in life. Not accepting that our couple no longer exists, a dismissal, an illness or the death of a loved one, it turns the pain of the event into excessive suffering. Something that, without a doubt, takes us away from the concept of happiness according to science.
The effects of the keys to happiness according to science
According to Barbara Fredrickson’s Theory of Constructive Expansion of Emotions (1998, 2001) , experiencing positive emotions facilitates more flexible behaviors and helps to broaden the repertoire of behaviors. We are thus more able to adapt to the environment and to function better in different areas of life.
Here are some of the effects of positive affective states:
- More creative thoughts
- Greater tolerance with ourselves and with others
- More adaptable reactions
- Better management of negative emotions
- Greater altruism
- Greater tolerance for physical pain
- Better resilience in the face of adversities
Positive emotions have a strong buffering effect on stress (Fredrickson, Mancuso, Branigan & Tugate, 2000). This is demonstrated by various laboratory studies of cardiovascular responsiveness (Fredrickson & Levenson, 1998).
Moreover, science has discovered that positive and negative emotions are not exclusive, but relatively independent (Avia and Vasquez, 1998). This allows us to experience negative emotions in situations that appear to be positive. And conversely, to experience positive emotions in particularly difficult moments such as distressing or traumatic situations.
The keys to happiness according to science
Even though we can experience complex situations throughout our lives, there is a lot we human beings can do to be free from suffering. Here are some suggestions to be happier according to science.
Experience gratitude
Being grateful for all the positive things that happen to us is a highly recommended practice in our daily lives. This is all the more important when the situation you are going through is difficult.
Research shows a direct relationship between gratitude and pro-social behavior, positive emotions, life satisfaction, optimism, hope, vitality, and the subjective perception of happiness (McCullough, Emmons & Tsang, 2002 ).
On the other hand, being grateful is associated with a lower risk of developing psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety or substance use (Bono & McCullough, 2006).
Therefore, in times of crisis and major difficulties, integrating gratitude into our lives can mark a significant improvement in our emotional state.
Strengthen our sense of humor
There are many psychological benefits attributed to a sense of humor. It promotes feelings and states of joy, well-being and satisfaction, stress reduction and prevention of depression.
Humor also has physical effects such as increasing pain tolerance and improving the immune and cardiovascular systems. In addition, on a social level, it improves our communication with others and creates community harmony.
It is therefore important to integrate moments of distraction through humor. Watching that movie that makes us laugh so much, listening to a funny podcast, or reading a chapter that makes us smile can be a big help.
The keys to happiness: listening to music
The Journal of the American Medical Association published the results of a 1996 study on music therapy in Austin. Musical stimulation increases the release of endorphins and decreases the need for drugs.
Then, endorphins act on our central nervous system, motivating us and giving us energy. Which helps us to be more joyful and optimistic.
We can then create a list with our favorite songs to listen to during physical activity or household chores, for example. Without a doubt, a daily dose of happy music will help us feel happier.
Practice mindfulness
The mindfulness means being in the present moment. By focusing our attention on every activity we do, it is much easier for us to stop listening to the negative thoughts that regularly bombard our mind.
To practice mindfulness, we don’t need to be a Zen master. We just need to focus as much as possible on what we are doing. For example :
- If we are cooking, the idea is to focus on this action. Observe the texture of the food, touch it with your fingertips, smell its smell, listen to sounds or changes in consistency …
The practice of mindfulness can be applied to any daily activity. This is a very interesting tool for reducing anxiety according to multiple studies.
Increase enjoyable activities
Without the neural mechanisms of the motivation and reward system, the human species would have died of starvation and would not have perpetuated. If something gives us pleasure, we’ll probably want to do it again.
There are many enjoyable activities that bring us happiness: taking a hot bath when we are cold, or a cool shower when we are hot, learning a new thing, singing, writing, painting or dancing are some examples.
On the other hand, the activities that we find positive activate a circuit of neurons that produce a sensation of pleasure and reduce our stress levels significantly. Therefore, in complicated times, it is essential to devote time during the day to carrying out one of these actions.
Keys to Happiness: Planning Activities
As Eduardo Punset comments in his book “ The Journey to Happiness”, the expectations of a highly desired situation far exceed the happiness of the event itself. In other words, happiness hides in the happiness waiting room.
This is due to what scientists call the reward circuit. The latter, which alerts the sources of pleasure and happiness, is activated especially during research. And not so much during the act itself. Contrary to what one might expect. Dopamine is activated by the mere prospect of pleasure, even if then it does not materialize.
So, thinking about tasting our favorite ice cream, getting the job of our dreams, organizing an idyllic vacation or imagining a discussion with a person we love often gives us greater satisfaction than the act itself.
The keys to happiness according to science: what to remember?
It is not easy to generate a positive atmosphere in complex situations. However, if we follow the tips described, we can come closer to a feeling of significant well-being.
Remember that negative emotions have a function and their purpose. The main thing is to learn to listen to what they want to convey to us in order to be able to understand them, go through them and finally, overcome them.
However, sometimes these negative emotional states do not go away so easily. Even when we apply all the tips in this article and as many others that we know such as practicing physical activity, reading or chatting with a friend, the discomfort persists.
In this case, if despite our efforts, negative emotions take over and we are powerless to deal with them, it is a good idea to consult a specialist. A clinical psychologist or a professional specializing in this type of case can help us remedy avoidable suffering.
