There are those who are always in a good mood.
But what really makes you happy?
Many researchers have already investigated this question, with some surprising findings.
Happy people have a job they enjoy and have great relationships: that is the popular belief.
But various studies come to the conclusion that external circumstances do not have the effect on their own happiness that many suspect.
The feeling of happiness should depend heavily on genes
.
However, five activities can go a long way towards becoming happier in the long term.
Science journalist Wendy Zukerman compiled various studies on the subject in one of her last podcasts and concluded that a large part of our ability to be happy is based on our genes - up to 80 percent, as the podcast says.
But depending on the study, scientists come to different results.
A large-scale study of 20,000 identical twins, for example, according to Business Insider, found that 33 percent of happiness depends on genes.
Together with the general outlook on life, genes should dominate our happiness
- according to Zukerman, career, money and relationships are not the main roles.
A new love or a raise in salary should trigger feelings of happiness in the short term *, but not make you happy in the long term.
Out into the green and meditation: What should help the happiness on the jumps
But studies show that there are activities that promote happiness:
Meditation
is not only supposed to relieve anxiety and depression, according to a study it also leads to a positive mood.
Those who classify their life as meaningful live longer and happier.
What gives meaning to the individual
differs
individually, if an activity such as
looking after
the granddaughter is
experienced
as
meaningful
, this has anti-inflammatory and stress-reducing effects that increase well-being.
Volunteering
makes you happy: This is the result of an evaluation by Dutch researchers.
As a result, volunteering can relieve depression and make you feel happier.
A Chinese study came to the conclusion that
staying in the forest
lowers the level of the stress hormone cortisol and thus has a positive effect on mental wellbeing.
A Norwegian publication suggests that there is a link between cultural interest and general satisfaction.
People who were interested in the theater suffered less often from anxiety or depression.
(jg) * Merkur.de is part of the Germany-wide Ippen digital editorial network
.
More sources: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1553633
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