Yes, Happiness Can Transform Your Body

Happiness manifests itself in different ways — a compliment from a stranger, a hug from our friends, a greeting from a puppy — but our body’s reaction when we feel this joy is generally the same. And the science behind it is actually pretty delightful.

As this Life Noggin video explains, our body releases endorphins (those feel-good hormones that also occur after we exercise) when we experience glee. Even comfort food can have this impact, because the brain associates these delicious treats with warm memories from childhood, the narrators said.

So what happens if we can’t get around one of our joy triggers? A simple smile may also do the trick. Studies have shown that engaging in a grin also produces the same effects in the body. Smiling releases those happy hormones and can help combat stress and can even help lower blood pressure, according to the video’s narrators.

Check out the video above for more on the science of happiness. We’d certainly consider this a good reason to smile.

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By Lindsay Holmes at Huffington Post