HOW HAPPY ARE YOU?
When was the last time you felt that inner peace, calm and sense of euphoria deep inside your soul so much so that you just wanted to hold onto that feeling?
I had that feeling when I woke up yesterday morning after a really good dream. It was such a good dream that I decided to go back to sleep to keep dreaming it longer.
When I woke up, I realized I hadn’t felt that happy in such a long time that I had forgotten what it felt like! And it felt good! I want more of it!
Then I started thinking about how my actual heart felt while I was happy, and I realized that it felt calm and peaceful.
I didn’t take my blood pressure right then, but I took it now while thinking of those feelings, and my blood pressure numbers were 116/82.
That fits right in with the results of a study on happiness and blood pressure that showed that people who are happy have lower systolic blood pressure numbers while the diastolic number isn’t really affected.
It turns out there is the hormone dopamine triggers happiness.
Have you ever been feeling down, so went for some comfort food... maybe some ice cream?
Food is one of the triggers that can cause your body to make more dopamine... so you feel better... maybe even happy!
Sex is another one of the triggers, among probably many other things, such as those talked about below.
The interesting thing about dopamine is that it somehow remembers your happiness and wants to keep creating it.
How Do You "Get Happy?"
So if you’re not at that level of happiness you that you want to be, how do you get there? First, sit down and think about what makes you happy. Is it having people around you? Or does having more money make you happier? How about feeling good about your body – would that make you happier?
One thing I like doing is keeping a gratitude journal. Personally, I keep a journal because it’s interesting and fun to look back a year or three later and remember things you’ve done. Adding a gratitude journal where you just jot down things I’m grateful for each day just makes you more aware of positive things. It really makes a difference in how you approach each day.
Research has shown that social interaction is one of the best ways to be happier. So, something you might try is to look up an old friend or relative you haven’t seen or talked to in a while. You can start on Facebook, but to have a deeper level of interaction, go farther than that and call or give the post office some much-needed business and write a letter. Or surprise someone with a Hallmark card!
Of course, there is always romance! There's nothing like being in a good relationship. Studies also show that married people are the happiest!
Of course, there is always romance! There's nothing like being in a good relationship. Studies also show that married people are the happiest!Focus on Someone Else for a While
If you have a lot of stress, switching your focus away from yourself for a while might give your brain a chance to get a different perspective on the situation. What you might do is look for a way to help someone else out, or find a volunteer project.
When you shift your attention away from yourself and onto someone else by helping them out, it gives you a sense of fulfillment. By causing a smile come to the face of someone else, you’ll feel that smile comes to your face as well!
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Laugh! I’m sure you’ve felt that lightness that comes to your body when you enjoy a good laugh. It actually helps to heal your body! If I haven't had a good laugh all day, sometimes I'll just watch a good comedy on tv in order to have a laugh & relieve some stress.
When I was working for a local police department, one of the courses they offered was stress relief. The one major thing I remember from that course is they had us practice making funny faces at each other as a means of relieving stress in the workplace. And it did have us laughing at each other!
Get more sleep! That is if you aren’t already sleeping the day away. Don’t you usually feel good after a good night’s sleep? There’s a reason for that. While you have been sleeping, your body has been rejuvenating and repairing itself.
I learned firsthand last week when I hadn’t had my 7 hours of sleep for a few nights. At the end of the week, my throat was scratchy and the next day I had a full-blown cold. I hadn’t given my body the chance to fight that cold off!
There is a diet called the setpoint diet that hormones and chemicals in your body send messages to your brain that set your appetite and food craving levels.
In a sense, you have a happiness set point also. As in the diet where the experts say to make small changes to move your set point, do the same with making small changes that will create more happiness within yourself.
Make the Choice to Be Happy
There are a lot of choices you have to make every day. One of those choices can be to just be happy right now. By making that conscious decision, you will move away from the negative and into the positive. Start taking the actions that will bring you that joy. If you don’t feel it now, my bet is that you will feel it soon.
Time to Take Action
These are just a few suggestions as to what you can do to bring on more happiness to yourself.
Look at your goals and see what one action you could take to move toward a goal.
Try taking that action or two and see if it helps your blood pressure. It would be fascinating to see that happen!
Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Resources:
ETH Zurich. "Happiness lowers blood pressure." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 October 2013. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131015103945.htm.