Staying Healthy Keeps You Happy

Recent studies have shown that how healthy you are has a direct impact on how happy you feel. This is something that does not surprise most people. They notice that when they feel healthy they feel happier. Conversely, when they are ill their mood is adversely affected.

Exactly why staying healthy makes you feel happier is not 100% clear. However, there are many theories, some of which are backed by scientific evidence.

Why Staying Healthy Keeps You Happy

The human body likes to be comfortable. When you are comfortable, you feel less stressed and therefore more content. If your clothes are not too tight, you do not sweat too much and you feel more comfortable. Being a healthy weight helps you in this way.

When your body is in pain, the hormones that are released into your mind cause you distress. This distress makes you feel unhappy.

The healthier you are the more you can do. This means that you get more out of life. Going to work is easier so is less stressful and because you have more energy, managing to meet all of your obligations is far easier. It also means that you have the energy to do things that you enjoy and that relax you. For example, you have enough energy to go walking at the weekend or to go dancing in the evenings.

The fact that you can stay physically active also helps you to stay happier. When we do something we enjoy, especially something physical, we experience a natural high. Hormones are released into our bodies that make us feel happy.

How to Become Healthier

If you are not a particularly healthy person, becoming healthy again can seem like a daunting task. However, like so many things in life, if you set yourself reasonable goals and try to become healthier gradually you will eventually achieve better health. The trick is to make small changes that over time add up into an overall change in your lifestyle. For example, exercising for 5 minutes a day could soon be built up into exercising for 15 or 20 minutes a day.