Tag Archives: happy

Eat blueberries every day to be happy!

15 Wednesday May 2019

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If you’re looking for a happiness boost: Eat blueberries. According to the journal Pharmacological Research, eating a half-cup of blueberries every day could raise your serotonin levels by 20%. Serotonin is a brain chemical linked to a better mood. It also helps keep your brain cells and arteries running smoothly – decreasing the risk of stroke, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. And we get the serotonin boost from the anthocyanin in blueberries; the antioxidant that gives them their deep color.

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Want to be happier and healthier?

17 Wednesday Apr 2019

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Get out in the world and TALK to people! Researchers at the University of Arizona found the happiest people spent 25% less time alone, and a whopping 70% more time engaged in face-to-face conversations. That’s because heartfelt conversations help us connect with our emotions, which creates closer bonds with others and triggers a boost in our health and happiness.

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Get healthier, higher self-esteem and be happy!

22 Tuesday Jan 2019

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So you want to lose weight, drink less, exercise more, and de-clutter your house. What should you tackle first? ALL of it! That’s according to a study at UC Santa Barbara.

When researchers had study participants commit to eating better, exercising more, cutting back on alcohol, getting more sleep, and practicing mindfulness all simultaneously – it worked! After 6 weeks, the study subjects showed improvement on all fronts. They were stronger, healthier, had higher self-esteem and were happier.

Brain science professor Michael Mrazek led the research and he says each lifestyle change supported the others. Exercising makes it easier to sleep… sleeping well makes it easier to eat well… and being mindful makes it easier to make good choices. So, if you have a lot of changes you’d like to make, go for it! Do them all at once.

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Improve your mood by walking!

27 Thursday Dec 2018

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The easiest way to improve your mood is to change the way you walk. When researchers studied the mindset of people walking, those who were hunched over and shuffling were in a funk. And the walkers who took purposeful strides, head up, shoulders back had a brighter attitude.

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What can a museum do for you?

25 Thursday Oct 2018

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Sure, it can expose you to fine art – but it can also slash your stress by 60%! That’s according to IULM University in Milan, Italy. The researchers measured people’s levels of the stress hormone cortisol, before and after they visited a museum. And they found just spending a few minutes admiring paintings or sculpture dramatically reduced stress. Their cortisol dropped 60%! Plus, the study participants said they felt happier and calmer. It works because, when we’re looking at art, we’re in the moment. And Stanford psychologists say that looking at something awe-inspiring makes us more patient and unselfish, and it makes time seem to slow down. Art also fills us with positive emotions, which lower levels of inflammatory proteins, reducing stress and lowering our heart rate.

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To be happier, find a ‘hands-on’ hobby.

16 Tuesday Oct 2018

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Neuroscientist Dr. Kelly Lambert says that baking, gardening, woodworking and other manual activities release the natural antidepressants serotonin and dopamine. This ‘effort-driven’ reward circuit is a holdover from the days when our ancestors had to use their hands to fill their stomachs. And even though it’s a lot easier to buy bread, you can’t buy that awesome feeling of pulling your own homemade loaves out of the oven.

And that’s why a ‘hands-on’ hobby will make you feel awesome.

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Kids should spend 3 hours A DAY exercising.

02 Tuesday Jan 2018

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That’s the recommendation from the Finnish government, which advised parents to actively encourage kids to pursue hobbies and interests that require physical exertion. Especially kids age 8 and UNDER! That may sound a bit extreme over here – where most of the population never breaks a sweat. But according to the BBC, Finland produces some of the most physically fit children in Europe, and some of the highest academic results among schoolchildren in the world. So maybe there’s a link between all that exercise and smart kids. Finland’s Minister for Education and Culture thinks it’s no coincidence. She says physical activity contributes to a child’s happiness and promotes learning. Again – the recommendation from the Finnish government is: Kids should spend 3 hours exercising – every DAY.

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Dance your way to happy!

11 Monday Dec 2017

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If you’d like to boost your mood, get up and dance! Researchers from the University of Sheffield in the UK found that people who danced for 5 minutes felt 16% happier than they did before the experiment started. The experts say it’s the combination of movement and music that triggers the release of feel-good endorphins.

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Had a bad day? Do this!

10 Friday Nov 2017

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Even if you’ve had the worst workday EVER – take a minute before going home to jot down a couple of good things that happened. Like hearing your favorite song during your commute – or the delicious sandwich you got from the lunch truck. That’ll relieve stress, and send you home with fewer work-related-worries. Researchers from Harvard found that even a tiny dose of gratitude triggers changes in the brain that solidify happy thoughts and feelings, and make them stick.

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Want to feel good fast?

20 Wednesday Sep 2017

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Think of two happy events in the past – like a birthday or a compliment from a stranger – and two happy events you’re looking forward to. University of Michigan researchers say imagining good times triggers similar emotions to what we experience DURING those good moments. And thinking about the past and future makes us feel like our lives, overall, are good.

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