Do not forget to exercise
There is a well known fact that if you exercise for at least thirty minutes a day you will increase your level of happiness. This phenomenon has been scientifically analyzed and the explanation is that exercise causes hormonal changes in our bodies that lead to positive emotions, helping us interrupt negative thoughts and decrease the level of stress and depression.
“Getting out of a depression is not exactly the same as happiness,” says Dr. K. Ranga Krishnan, a professor of psychiatry at Rush Medical College in Chicago. “But anecdotally, most people who exercise will tell you they feel better.”
Moreover, exercise has been shown to improve the sleep patterns of insomniacs, as well as lower their anxiety. Thirty minutes of exercise can also boost your immune system and release endorphins, which are also known as the hormone of happiness.
“Every one of the observational studies showed a beneficial relationship between being physically active and being happy,” says Weiyun Chen, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Michigan, who, with her graduate student Zhanjia Zhang. “I think the indications are strong that exercise can contribute to happiness and, while anything helps, a bit more is probably better. We know that exercise improves health,” she says.
