The science of happiness

To finish off a month of articles focusing on mental health, it seemed like a good idea to end on a positive note and have a further look at the science of happiness (see previous article ‘Pupils to be taught how to be happy …’ September 17th 2008).

Until recently psychology has focused on unhappiness, depression and anxiety. However in the 1990’s Dr Martin Seligman pioneered the study of ‘happiness’ with the focus on how to live a happy and contented life. This rapidly growing area of research has become known as ‘positive psychology’.

Happiness however, is not the easiest subject to research. It is inherently subjective, which makes it difficult to define and measure. It is also not constant and the happiest of people can and do have low days. Attempts at defining happiness could suggest it is to do with optimism, pleasure, satisfaction with life, or purely the absence of sadness but the list could go on. As well as problems defining happiness there are many other factors that can affect a person’s happiness, such the role of our genes in determining how satisfied people are with life. It is recognised that some people are born with a sunnier disposition than others.

In 1996 David Lyken from the University of Minnesota, suggested that each of us has a ‘happiness set point’ and whatever good, bad, amazing, or traumatic experiences we have in life we tend to revert back to our set range of happiness. This could explain why for example people who win a substantial amount of money on the lottery don’t end up being significantly happier, or why people who lose limbs in accidents can sometimes be extremely positive. At the time he had suggested trying to change a person’s ‘happiness set point’ is futile, however he now agrees with the findings of a wide range of more recent research suggesting that you can raise your levels of happiness.

The popularity of positive psychology, and the resulting research proposes that happiness levels can be changed; up or down. Whatever a person’s genetic disposition, other factors such as social conditions, environment and behaviour can have a big impact on people’s happiness. Psychologist Edward Diener (nicknamed; Dr Happiness) from the University of Illinois, has done a lot of research on how people adapt to new circumstances and life events. He found certain life events such as the loss of a spouse, could knock people lower than their ‘happiness set points’. Many other studies have put forward that there are things you can do to make yourself happier. One example of such research was carried out by the University of California: they found that participants who were encouraged to keep a diary of things they were thankful for were not only happier and more optimistic, but also had more energy, than those in another group who didn’t keep such a diary.

Seligman recognizes that happiness is subjective; however after many years of researching his studies suggest there are three components of happiness universal to everyone. These are the amount of pleasure people pursue and gain from their activities, engagement; the depth of involvement with ones family friends, work etc, and the meaning people place on their lives. Researchers in the field of positive psychology have come up with a range of different factors they believe may help towards someone leading a more satisfying life, and these are:

Nurture relationships with friends and family As found in all the research into happiness, one of the biggest factors affecting a person’s satisfaction with life appears to be the strength of their personal relationships. Investing time and energy into relationships increases our potential to be happy.

Count Your blessings Keeping a gratitude journal as mentioned above could have a significant affect on your levels of happiness. It is suggested you write three to five things you are thankful for, and this could include relatively small things such as; the bluebells flowering, or bigger experiences such as; a child’s first words. This could be done once a week on a Sunday. It is also suggested that showing gratitude to others can have a positive effect on our happiness.

Take care of your body Getting plenty of sleep; exercising and eating well can all help improve your mood. Exercising can release feel good endorphins. There have been links made between diets low in carbohydrates and low levels of serotonin. Eating complex carbohydrates, such as potatoes, grains, and fruit which release energy very slowly can help stabilise your energy and mood.

Practice acts of kindness (both random and planned) Being kind to others can make you feel capable, generous, and can give you a greater sense of connection with others. Acts of kindness can also win you smiles, and smiling can be contagious.
Savour life’s pleasures By paying attention to what is going on around us, and savouring momentary pleasures such as the warmth of the sun as we walk outside, can have an effect on our happiness. Some psychologists suggest taking mental pictures of pleasurable moments which we can review when we need them.

Develop strategies for coping with stress People use a number of strategies to help them cope with stress, such as repeating affirmations or sayings to themselves such as; ‘What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger’. In many of the studies a religious faith appears to help people cope. Practising meditation, and allowing the mind to rest from distracting and worrying thoughts, and the body to relax, also has been shown to have a very beneficial affect on a person’s happiness.

Learn to forgive However difficult you may find it to forgive someone who has wronged you, not forgiving them can lead to persistent rumination. Letting go of your anger and resentment can help you move on. One way you can do this is to write a letter of forgiveness. It is the process which can be healing; you do not necessarily have to send the letter.

If you do decide to try some of the strategies above, don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results quickly enough, especially if you’ve been living with sadness for a long time. Persistence is the key; it takes around 21 days for new activities to become a habit, and 6 months for them to become part of your lifestyle. Whether happiness is a skill that can be learnt is still an area of much debate. However on a personal level, I don’t think it can do any harm when trying to improve our mental health, to focus on what makes us happy, as opposed to what makes us sad, and it’s something we can all explore further if we want to.