Want to live longer? Smile more. New research finds that the happiest people are almost three times less likely to die over a given period than the least happy people.
Of the 10,000 participants involved in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, 20 percent were expected to die over a nine-year period. Instead, 28 percent of the least happy people died, compared with approximately 9.9 percent of the self-reported happiest.
The study authors speculate that the boost in years has to do with longevity associated with psychological well-being—and also, lifestyle factors that tend to go hand in hand with being happy. Which makes sense: according to a study published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, happy people have lower levels of cortisol (the “stress hormone”) as well as lower blood pressure. Since high blood pressure is directly related to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, it pays to relax, if only for the sake of your health.
Here, three ways to add more bliss to your day-to-day.
Say Ohm
An easy way to unwind? Try yoga, says yoga instructor Sara Ivanhoe. If you’re feeling particularly frazzled, sit into a squat. According to Ivanhow, this pose grounds you by rooting your feet to the floor, and it also relaxes your stress-harboring back. Here’s how to do it (plus more poses to change your mood).
Start a Book Club
Another easy way to boost your happiness? Cultivate your social network. Research from the British National Child Development Study found that people who reported having six friends at age 50 (whom they saw regularly), were considerably happier than their peers. One easy way to see your friends more often it to put them on your calendar, says Gretchen Rubin, author Happier at Home and blogger for The Happiness Project. “It sounds funny to talk about efficiency with friendship, but the hardest thing about friendship is the time commitment,” says Rubin. But when you have a monthly group meeting—like a book club, or a cooking class—you can simultaneously deepen the relationships with close friends and broaden your social network as new ones join up.
Light a Candle
Need an instant pick-me-up? Sniff sandalwood. Science says smelling the deep aroma woodsy scents can act like a drug-free anti-depressant by increasing the production of endorphins, those feel-good hormones your body produces. If candles won’t cut it, try sniffing your way happy with these 7 powerful mood-altering fragrances.
Image: BananaStock/Thinkstock
More from WH:
How to Be Happy—Now!
How Scent Can Lower Stress
7 Ways to Boost Your Mood with Food