Happiness is Medicine for the Heart

February 24, 2010 at 12:26 pm · Filed under Heart Health

According to a recent study published in the European Heart Journal, happier people may have healthier hearts. The study indicated that people who reported being generally happy and content were less likely to develop heart disease. In fact, it seemed that as a person’s level of happiness increased, their risk to develop heart disease decreased.

It isn’t clear exactly the reason why happier people may have healthier hearts, but adding a little happiness to your life certainly couldn’t hurt. To improve your overall happiness and help your heart, try some of these strategies:

Spend some time every day doing something you enjoy. Don’t stress yourself out trying to squeeze something else in, but make your favorite activities a priority–even if it’s only 10 or 15 minutes a day. If you like to read, set aside some time for that book you’ve been wanting to read. Miss knitting? Pull out the yarn and needles and finish a few rows.Get physical. You’ve heard it before, but exercise improves mood. Get those endorphins pumping with a brisk walk, some power yoga or your favorite workout DVD. It doesn’t take much time–just 10 minutes or so, to reap the mood-boosting benefits.Just relax. Don’t wait for your yearly vacation or the infamous “someday” to take a break. Make regular time to relax, whether it’s by soaking in a bath, getting a massage, meditating, or watching your favorite television show. Whatever it is you choose to do, be present and savor the time.Have a good laugh. Put in a funny movie, have lunch with a friend who always makes you laugh, or read the Sunday comics. It’s hard to NOT be happy when you’re laughing so hard your belly hurts.Spin it. When something has you down, try seeing the experience from a positive angle. There’s always a silver lining, you just need to locate it and put your focus on it. It may not eliminate the negative, but it might make it a little more bearable.

Don’t worry, be happy. Have some fun. Try new things. Accentuate the positive whenever you can. Happiness just might be medicine for your heart.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

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