Strive To Stay Happy To Be Healthy!

“Being happy involves a state of balance in your everyday lite, a sense of contentment in what you are, what you do and what you have”

What Does It Take To Be Healthy?

Happiness laughter and contentment have always been associated with good health. Those who are happy, more cheerful and optimistic are generally less likely to fall sick and usually have greater physical and emotional resilience.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines Health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.! This shows that there is a strong correlation between our physical health and our emotional and social wellness.

Thus, being happy involves a state of balance in your everyday life, a sense of contentment in what you are, what you do and what you have. This does not mean that you should not aim higher for achieving larger goals. The dreams you have should always be pursued to achieve greater success but with positivity.

Pressures At Different Stages

We experience various stressors and various pressures at different stages of our life. For a teenager, it could involve concerns regarding school or college life, peer pressure, anxieties of growing up, the physical and emotional changes of adolescence and about fitting into the adult world. A young adult worries about studies, employment, financial security, furthering academic credentials and maintaining an active social life in addition to finding his/her goals.

Later on in life, shouldering family responsibilities, professional stability, financial planning and consolidating his or her assets become a priority. A senior citizen may look at larger concerns including loneliness, social and community support and financial insecurities. At all these stages of life, one s exposed to a myriad of negative emotions which affect health.

Negative Emotions And Health

Thus, maintaining a positive outlook and channelizing these stressors to a higher level of wellness is something we should focus on. Negative emotions like anger, sadness, envy and anxiety lead to chronic stress related disease including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, neurological ailments including risk of stroke, musculoskeletal diseases etc. These negative emotions harm the body by increasing systemic inflammation and causing acceleration of biological damage, increasing levels of stress hormones and subsequent build-up of atherosclerosis. Also, various physical ailments are often related to certain disorders of the mind including depression and anxiety leading to somatisation wherein, the physical manifestations are marked and troublesome to the patient.

A Balanced Life

Those who are happy generally eat correctly, have an active physical lifestyle and maintain good habits, all of which is needed to be healthy. In Robert Holden’s words, “There is no true health without happiness.” Positivity, the ability to give yourself completely and still be happy, maintaining a focus on your passion and what you want in life, leads to a good physical and mental sense of well-being. Achieving this balance in life with a good social support system is a challenge every Individual must push for, in the larger interest of improving the health of the community.

For most chronic diseases, there are modifiable risk factors which include a healthy diet, an active physical life and stress reducing measures. So, let’s make ‘happiness’ a lifestyle choice to combat this growing prevalence of chronic diseases and commit to being a healthy person and contribute to a healthy world.

Five Tips To Bring Happiness Into Your Life

Breathe Consciously
It is a simple way to gain control over your mood. Conscious inhalations and exhalations help you from getting wound up.
Get Your Body Moving
Exercise improves both mental and physical well-being of an individual. It boosts blood circulation too.
Pick Up The Stuff You Love To Do
Get back to activities and hobbies that give you immense pleasure like crafts, gardening etc.
Figure Out The People Who Bring Your Best To Fore
Get out of toxic relationships and appreciate the company of the people who keep you alive and kicking.
Count Your Many Blessings
Being grateful and glad about all things and people you have in your life, automatically puts that gratifying smile on your lips and a song in your heart.