Happiness and your health

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands... You just might be healthier for it.

People with a generally sunny disposition are less likely to fall ill, according to a Reuters report. In fact, happiness could be the best defense through the cold and flu season, according to a new study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

In the study, 193 healthy adults were exposed to a cold or virus. And those with a "positive emotional style" did better at warding off illness, the findings indicated.

The reasons for this may be both subjective and objective, researchers say. While happiness may indeed boost immune function, happy people may also be less troubled by such irksome symptoms as a scratchy throat or a runny nose.

"People with a positive emotional style may have different immune responses to the virus," lead study author Dr. Sheldon Cohen of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh was quoted by Reuters. "And when they do get a cold, they may interpret their illness as being less severe."

Study participants completed standard measures of personality traits, self-perceived health and emotional style. Those who were classified as having a positive emotional style tended to be happy, energetic and easy-going. Those who were often unhappy, tense, and hostile were judged to have a negative style.

Both groups were then given nasal drops containing either a cold virus or a flu virus that causes cold-like symptoms. Over the next week or so, the participants reported any aches, pains, sneezing or congestion. At the same time, researchers collected objective data, such as daily mucus production.

Dr. Cohen concluded that not only were happy people less likely to develop a cold, but when they did, their self-rated symptoms were less severe that would be expected based on objective measures.

Other factors such as the participants' perception of their general health, self-esteem and degree of optimism were also weighed, but it was happiness that seemed to protect against cold symptoms, researchers said.

The happiest people
So what makes us happy? Somewhat surprisingly, the older you get the happier you are - until you reach very old age. According to a US study, the happiest age group is men 65 and older. The least happy group? Men aged from 18 to 29.

The survey, conducted by the Pew Research Center, also found:

-- Married people are happier than singles.
-- University graduates are happier than those without a university degree.
-- People who are religious are happier than those who aren't.
-- People who live in sun-belt areas are happier than those who don't

And what role does money play in determining happiness? Daniel Gilbert, author of the book Stumbling on Happiness told CNN that money helps to buy happiness - but only to a degree.

"Our culture implores us to buy bigger, newer, better things, but research shows "stuff" does not buy happiness. By and large, money buys happiness only for those who lack the basic needs. Once you pass an income of $50,000, more money doesn't buy much more happiness," Gilbert said.

What about people who are disabled? They are about as happy on a day-to-day basis as the general population, according to Gilbert.