When looking for endorphin enriching activities to help us overcome a trauma, aid us in recovering from an ailment or to keep us in a positive frame of mind, we are often told that laughter is the best medicine. While you might not be the sort of person who guffaws often, loudly and freely, there can be things that you can do to help maintain a more constant level of happiness. Being happy means that the neurotransmitter, dopamine, is released throughout your bloodstream. This is scientifically proven to motivate you, help you see things more optimistically and give you a more positive outlook on life. Many people feel that it is our mental health that can impact on our physical well being. Take a look at why laughter (or happiness) really is the best medicine.

Healthy Diets

Happy people tend to eat better. While feeling low and being in a bad mood can see you reaching for the takeaway menu, more comfortable people tend to focus more on what is good for them to help them maintain their cheery demeanor. Happy people tend to eat more fruit and vegetables, have lower instances of heart-related problems, and will exercise more. There is some debate about what came first a la chicken and egg scenario. Are these people happy because they eat healthily? Or do they eat healthily because they are happy? In any case, a more positive frame of mind can result in a more positive body image and a better diet and exercise regime.

Being Proactive

People who are content and happy will be more proactive when confronted with a challenge. Those who have low moods and poor mental health may bury their head in the sand and hope that the situation that is causing them distress will go away. On the other hand, a happy person will tackle a challenge head on and be more solution focused when seeking a positive outcome. If a happy person notices that their tinnitus is getting worse, they will seek out speech language pathology professionals to help them rather than suffering in silence. If a content person has a dodgy hip, they will head to the local surgery for some physio rather than rest up in bed.

Do Something New

For those people reading this who struggle to find a sense of happiness, doing something new can be all that’s needed to reinvigorate and help alter one’s mindset. By trying something new, you will be meeting new people, learning a new skill, and using parts of your brain that you haven’t worked in decades. If you fancy learning the piano, try a taster session. If you want to speak Japanese, enroll in a class. And if you fancy trying your hand at a martial art, get down to your local dojo. Expanding your social circle can be daunting but it is also fun, and doing something new can give you something to look forward to, increasing your chances of happiness.

While laughter and being happy isn’t a sure fire way of living longer, preventing sickness or never encountering a distressing situation, this mindset can help you overcome challenges and alter the way you approach barriers in your life. Be happy and start laughing more!