Look on the Bright Side: Your Brain Will Thank You

Studies have suggested that happiness is positively correlated with indicators of superior mental and physical health. For instance, one study suggested that people with a positive self-perception of aging lived on average 7.5 years longer than those with less positive perceptions, even after controlling for age, sex, socioeconomic status, loneliness, and functional health.

Such findings were echoed in another study that looked at a group of elderly nuns and their journal writings as young women. Those who lived longest had scored high on positive thoughts or feelings about life in journals written in 1930.

What is Happiness, and How Can You Acquire It?

What is happiness? That’s an age-old question, but by some standards, happy individuals are those who experience frequent positive emotions – such as joy, interest, and pride – and infrequent (though not absent) negative emotions, such as sadness, anxiety, and anger.

Pharmacists, as trusted health care providers, can encourage their clients to engage in activities they enjoy and that bring them happiness.