People who are happy and satisfied with their life are more likely to remain healthy than people who are unhappy, new research suggests.
Researchers examined data from a two-part survey of nearly 10,000 Australians. Participants were asked two questions: “During the past four weeks, have you been a happy person?” and “All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life?” Then, three years later, they were questioned about their health.
Results showed that approximately 63% of people said they were happy most or all of the time, and more than 90% said that they were satisfied with their life. Those people who reported being happy and satisfied with their life in the initial survey were significantly more likely to report being in excellent, very good, or good health three years later. Even more significant is the fact that these results were independent of several key factors for health, including: smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and age.
Lead author Mohammad Siahpush, PhD concluded:”Everything else being equal, if you are happy and satisfied with your life now, you are more likely to be healthy in the future.”
Siahpush, M, Spittal M, Singh GJ. Happiness and life satisfaction prospectively predict self-rated health, physical health, and the presence of limiting, long-term health conditions. Am J Health Promo. 2008;23(1).
