Happiness: The Science Behind The Smile

Laughter may actually be the best medicine! People define happiness in many different ways, but at its core, leading researchers have proven that happiness involves feeling positive emotions, expressing that life is good and meaningful. Understanding, accepting and living this idea of happiness reduces your risk of heart disease, strengthens your immune system, and might ultimately add years to your life.

Happiness is also deeply intertwined into the idea of “Pay-It-Forward” and when you are happy, you tend to prioritize positivity in your day-to-day activity. When you laugh or smile or even think a good thought, your body responds to that just as much as your mind does.

It doesn’t take much to realize how beautiful the world around you really is. Have you noticed differences in your health when you smile more?

The more beauty you see, the more you smile—and the healthier you feel. Select a graphic you love below and share Gratitude Revealed with your friends and family. Help gratitude go global!

Bio: Gratitude Revealed is an unprecedented journey into the science, mystery and building blocks of gratitude. In a series of 16 film shorts, acclaimed filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg shows us not only what these ideas look like, but how they can be expressed in our daily lives. The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley (GGSC) has attached evidence-based practices to each video to ensure that the viewer has a place to go even when the video ends. This journey begins with gratitude but the destination is entirely up to you, the viewer. Start your journey by clicking here.