Does happiness boost the immune system?

A healthy immune system is important for overall health. Research has shown that living a happier life can help keep your immune system strong.

This can help reduce the risk of colds and infections.

A study of over 300 healthy people looked at the risk of getting a cold after people were given a common cold virus via nasal drops.

The unhappiest people were almost three times more likely to get a cold than their happier peers.

In another study, researchers gave 81 university students a vaccine against hepatitis B, a virus that attacks the liver. Happier students were almost twice as likely to develop a high antibody response, a sign of a strong immune system.

The effects of happiness on the immune system are not fully understood.

It may be due to the effects of happiness on the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates the immune system, hormones, digestion, and stress levels.

In addition, happy people are more likely to participate in health-promoting behaviors that play a role in maintaining a strong immune system. These include healthy eating habits and regular physical activity.

Summary:

Being happy can help boost your immune system - which could help you be more robust against colds and infections.

Happiness and stress

Being happy can help lower your stress levels!

Typically, excessive stress causes an increase in cortisol levels, a hormone that contributes to many of the harmful effects of stress, including sleep disturbances, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

A number of studies show that cortisol levels tend to be lower when people are happier.

In one study of over 200 adult participants, lab tests found that cortisol levels were 32% lower in the happiest people than in unhappy participants.

These effects seemed to persist over time. When researchers followed up with the same group of adults three years later, there was a 20% difference between the cortisol levels of the happiest and unhappiest individuals.

Summary:

Stress increases levels of the hormone cortisol, which can lead to weight gain, sleep disturbances, and high blood pressure. Happy people tend to produce lower levels of cortisol in response to stressful situations.

Can happiness protect against heart disease?

Happiness may protect the heart by lowering blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease!

A study of over 6,500 people over the age of 65 found that positive well-being was associated with a 9% lower risk of high blood pressure.

Being happy can also reduce the risk of heart disease, the biggest killer worldwide.

A number of studies have shown that being happy reduces the risk of heart disease by 13-26%.

A long-term study of 1,500 adults also found that happiness helped protect against heart disease. The happy adults had a 22% lower risk over the 10-year study period, even after risk factors such as age, cholesterol levels and blood pressure were taken into account.

It seems that happiness can help protect you even if you already have heart disease. A systematic review of 30 studies found that greater positive well-being reduced the risk of death by 11% in adults with established heart disease.

It is important to note that some of these effects may be due to an increase in heart-healthy behaviors such as physical activity, smoking avoidance, and healthy eating habits.

However, a recent study that looked at nearly 1,500 people over a 12-year period found no link between positive well-being and heart disease risk.

More high-quality, well-designed research is needed in this area.

Summary:

Being happier may help lower blood pressure, which in turn may reduce the risk of heart disease. However, more research is needed.

Can happiness extend life expectancy?

Being happy may help you live longer!

A long-term study published in 2015 looked at the impact of happiness on survival rates in 32,000 people.

The risk of death over the 30-year study period was 14% higher in unhappy people than in happier people.

A large review of 70 studies examined the link between positive well-being and longevity in both healthy people and those with a pre-existing health condition, such as heart or kidney disease.

Higher levels of positive well-being were found to have a beneficial effect on age, reducing the risk of death by 18% in healthy people and 2% in people with a pre-existing condition.

How happiness can lead to increased longevity is not well understood.

It can be explained in part by an increase in positive behaviors that prolong survival, such as not smoking, being physically active, taking medications, and having good sleep habits.

Summary:

Happier people live longer. This may be because they engage in more health-promoting behaviors, such as physical activity.