Why is happiness so important? Perhaps Aristotle said it best: Happiness is “the chief good toward which all other things aim.”
Why should you try to be happy?
Being happy is more than just an idle need. “Scientific studies show that when people are happier, they are more productive, more collaborative, and more creative…The happier people are, the more likely they will be successful in the first place,” says Dr. Matt Killingsworth, PhD, a University of California at Berkeley-trained psychologist and scientist who created a scientific project that uses smartphones to study happiness in real-time during everyday life. “While we can’t necessarily be happy all the time, the broad range of benefits that happiness offers gives us a new reason to pursue happiness at work and in life.”
How to be happy
And how can you be happier? According to Killingsworth, people mistakenly believe if they first focus on success, happiness will follow. But that isn’t necessarily true. “Being successful appears to have only a modest relationship to happiness,” he says. “How much money one makes matters far less than people expect.” There are, however, science-backed ways to become happier—and you can take many of these steps in small doses every day. So, if you’re feeling blue, take heart. There are many ways to feel better that don’t require a lot of time and effort. Check out our list of 25 activities that will make you happier in 10 minutes or less.
Things that make you happier
1. Exercising every day
Getting moving is my favorite way to be happier, and it’s the go-to activity for many others. The best part? A review of studies showed that people felt happier with even just 10 minutes of physical activity per week. Choose your favorite fitness activity—everything from dancing to yoga offers mood-boosting benefits, and even things like rollerblading give you an excuse to get outside.
2. Grounding yourself
“Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than connecting to the earth with a leisurely barefoot stroll through my garden with my first cup of coffee,” says Suzan Ferreira, blogger at It’s My Sustainable Life. Grounding, also known as earthing, means making direct skin contact with the surface of the Earth, usually with bare feet or hands. Research shows it helps improve sleep, reduce pain and reduce stress levels.
3. Petting a dog or cat
Do you reach for your pet when you need a break from the dramas of life? There’s a good reason for doing that. Turns out, according to a study from Washington State University, that petting a dog or cat has mental health benefits—it can relieve stress in just 10 minutes.
4. Stretching
“As I get older, I find that cardio is less important to me,” actress Kim Cattrall told The Times of London. “What I want to do is more intense stretching.” Heck, stretching makes your body just feel good, right? And with good reason. As a light exercise, Harvard Health found that stretching helps your brain increase the production of serotonin, a chemical which helps create feelings of happiness.
5. Having sex
Are you really surprised? Researchers at the London School of Economics surveyed users through a smartphone app that recorded their levels of happiness over a three-year period. Of all the activities measured, sex was the activity that provided the most happiness, raising moods by 14%. Further research backs up their findings, showing “positive correlation between sexual frequency and happiness.”
6. Eating dark chocolate
Yay! In a study of over 13,000 people, participants who ate any dark chocolate in two 24-hour periods were 70 percent less likely to report clinically-relevant depressive symptoms than those who ate no chocolate at all. That’s because dark chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which stimulates the body to lift mood.
7. Getting enough magnesium
Our bodies need magnesium to function properly, but despite this, up to 70% of people don’t get the minimum amount needed every day, says Natalie Jurado, of founder Rooted In. “Magnesium plays a key role in the body: it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you stay calm and relaxed. It also plays an essential role by regulating the body’s stress response system; it can reduce anxiety and ease both physical and mental stress,” she says. Magnesium deficiency has been cited as an underlying factor in major depression in several studies, including this one. Foods that are rich in magnesium include pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, leafy greens and almonds. Combining these foods in a smoothie provides an excellent source of magnesium, says Jurado.
8. Donating to charity
Over a decade of research indicates that you’re more likely to derive happiness from spending money on someone else, confirm the folks at Happy Money, a fintech company helping people achieve financial wellness. It’s even better if you pick a charity or cause that is local to you or a passion. Think local food bank or animal shelter over a large, multinational organization. Happiness researcher Dr. Killingsworth shares that happy people tend to be kind people, and part of the reason is the simple fact that being kind actually makes us happier. All around the world, people who are happier tend to be more engaged in more prosocial spending. In one experiment, people who were randomly assigned to spend a small amount of money on others experienced a significant increase in happiness while those who were assigned to spend money on themselves did not. Another experiment investigated the link between kindness and happiness and found that happiness could be increased by merely noticing and counting one’s own acts of kindness for one week. Moreover, this exercise led, in turn, to people becoming even kinder.
9. Volunteering
You don’t have to do good by giving money, though. “When you get involved with a local effort that will benefit your neighbors or your community, you’ll feed off each other’s positive vibes,” says the author of Optimists Always Win, Kimberly Reed. Research shows that people can become happier over time after they start volunteering.
10. Cooking
Research also suggests cooking can have a positive effect on stress, building confidence and improving mood. Cooking a meal doesn’t need to take long; it can be done quickly. For example, making avocado and egg toast can be done in 10 minutes, says Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Holly Klamer.
11. Taking up artistic activities
“When I draw, it’s as if time stops,” says Ludovic Chung-Sao, founder of Zen Soundproof. So for a lift, grab those paint brushes or an adult coloring book. Studies have shown that artistic activities (like drawing, pasting, and coloring) have a positive effect on lowering cortisol, the stress hormone.
12. Cleaning
“This probably wouldn’t be the first thing you think of to boost your happiness,” says Ray Sadoun, a medical reviewer and addiction advocate at OK Rehab. But if you’re so inclined, Sadoun shares that research shows cleaning can boost your mood, as it’s a form of mindfulness, since you are focusing on one activity at a time, allowing you to stay in the present moment.
13. Planning a trip
Many of us are excited to travel as COVID-19 restrictions have lifted. But did you know that just the act of planning a trip can make you happier? According to one survey, just having a trip planned led 97% of survey respondents to feel happier. So what are you waiting for?
14. Laughing
It’s hard to feel sad when you’re watching Schitt’s Creek, or guffawing at a great joke, and research proves it. Laughter offers mental health benefits, including reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
15. Sleeping
“One of the best activities to make you feel happier requires a complete lack of activity in the traditional sense—sleep,” says Charlotte Spence, head of sleep research for Mattress Nerd. Many studies show that improving sleep quantity and quality improves people’s mental well-being and happiness levels, sometimes even as much as winning a $250,000 lottery!
16. Spending time in nature
“I recommend taking a short walk outside at least once a day as a commitment to our mental and emotional health, says Suzanne Bartlett- Hackenmiller, M.D., medical advisor for AllTrails. And you don’t even need to spend 10 minutes outside. Research proves that we can experience a better and more positive mood within the first five minutes of spending time in nature. Oh, and you’ll get an even greater happiness boost if you listen to birdsong. A study confirms this. Hikers making their way along trails with birdsongs experienced a greater sense of well-being than the hikers taking the other trails, says Tammie Poppie, founder of On the Feeder.
17. Showing gratitude
Photographer Bryan Striegler feels better when he stops for three minutes at least once a day and focuses on three things he is thankful for. An attitude of gratitude can help you feel happier, too. According to Dr. Killingsworth, when you first drive a new car home, you might derive genuine pleasure from the powerful yet quiet engine and the impeccable stitching on the upholstery. But a month or two later, you’re likely to barely notice these details that at first seemed so important. This process, called hedonic adaptation, is one the main explanations for why happiness has improved so little when the objective conditions of our lives have improved so much. Evidence suggests that the simple practice of noticing and writing down the good things in our lives can benefit our happiness. One study in which people wrote about intensely positive experiences for 20 minutes each day for three days found that people not only became happier, but may also have become healthier as well. So follow the research: showing thanks and gratitude in writing and verbally helps people feel more optimistic.
18. Listening to music
If you like to listen to music to boost your spirits, you’re in good company. “In my Happiness Club, members have shared how activities such as listening to music lift their mood and make them feel happier,” says Life Coach Julie Leonard. Several studies show that music can help reduce stress, too.
19. Gardening
Turns out that getting dirty can make you happier. A study showed that Mycobacterium vaccae, a bacteria often found in soil, stimulates serotonin, which is a chemical in the brain that helps you feel happier.
20. Getting enough exposure to sunlight
While exposure to sunlight is pretty easy in the summer, it’s more difficult in the winter months. As sunlight decreases, serotonin can be reduced, too, according to the Mayo Clinic. To be happier, spend some time in the sunlight. If that’s not possible, you can also try bright light therapy using a SAD lamp.
21. Meditating
“Research shows that meditation has the ability to elevate your happiness baseline,” says Stacy Conlon, Certified Mindfulness Meditation Facilitator. “The best part is, meditation doesn’t cost anything. All that’s required is a commitment to practice consistently for just a couple minutes per day,” she says. Dr. Killingsworth shares that people spend nearly 50% of their time thinking about the past, the future, something other than the present. We’re in a constant state of distraction about some other time. It turns out, people are substantially less happy when their minds wander than and they allow themselves to go in that direction. Meditating is a great way to practice mindfulness and teach your mind to better live in the present. Our goal shouldn’t be to be present 100% of the time—some degree of mind-wandering is unavoidable and, in certain cases, extremely useful. But if we can use our capacity to mind-wander when it’s worthwhile, and arrest our tendency to wander when it’s causing pointless worry or harmful distraction, the evidence suggests we could be considerably happier.
22. Sniffing certain scents
Perfumers and manufacturers have long studied the effects of scents on mood. One study showed that a whiff of vanilla bean increased participants’ feelings of joy. Another study found that using jasmine oil in aromatherapy massage may help relieve depression. Scent is very personal, though. If you don’t like a scent, it won’t make you happy!
23. Relaxing with a massage
Do you feel happy and relaxed after a massage? Many of us do. Studies show that massage can increase feel-good brain chemicals, serotonin and dopamine levels.
24. Spending time with friends
If you’re feeling down, consider hanging out with your BFF. “I have always been able to find happiness whenever I hang out with friends, even more than spending time with my family,” says Ramakrishna R, of CureSkin. A study conducted by the London School of Economics confirmed that spending time with friends makes you happier than spending time with your family.
25. Being near water
My pool is my happy place, and many others love spending time near or in the water, too. According to several studies, contact with water leads us to a meditative state that makes us happier, healthier, calmer and more creative. No water nearby? Just looking at images of water can make you feel calmer. These ideas are proven to increase happiness, but nothing can take the place of personal preference. Choose the ones that work for you. So while I love cycling, gardening may be your jam. Cooking may relax you, but it stresses me out. Ultimately, you are in charge of your own happiness, and participating in activities that help boost your mood. Now read 100 Inspiring Quotes About Happiness to Lift Your Mood.
Sources
Dr. Matt Killingsworth, Senior fellow at Penn’s Wharton School, University of California at Berkeley-trained psychologist and scientist studying happinessNatalie Jurado, founder of Rooted InKimberly Reed, author of Optimists Always WinLudovic Chung-Sao, founder of Zen SoundproofHolly Klamer, Registered Dietitian NutritionistRay Sadoun, medical reviewer and addiction advocate at OK RehabCharlotte Spence, head of sleep research for Mattress NerdSuzanne Bartlett-Hackenmiller, M.D., medical advisor for AllTrailsStacy Conlon, Certified Mindfulness Meditation FacilitatorBMC Public Health: “Don’t worry, be happy: cross-sectional associations between physical activity and happiness in 15 European countries"Journal of Inflammation Research: “The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases”Washington State University: “Study demonstrates stress reduction benefits from petting dogs, cats”Harvard Health: “How does exercise reduce stress? Surprising answers to this question and more.”Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization: “Does Increased Sexual Frequency Enhance Happiness?”Depression & Anxiety Association of America: “Is there a relationship between chocolate consumption and symptoms of depression? A cross-sectional survey of 13,626 US adults”Magnesium in the Central Nervous System: “Magnesium and major depression”World Happiness Report: “Happiness and Prosocial Behavior: An Evaluation of the Evidence”Science: “Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness"Berkeley’s Greater Good Magazine: “How Volunteering Can Help Your Mental Health”SAGE Journals: “Psychosocial Benefits of Cooking Interventions: A Systematic Review”Mindfulness: “Washing Dishes to Wash the Dishes: Brief Instruction in an Informal Mindfulness Practice"Institute for Applied Positive Research: “Planning Travel Creates Happiness"American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine: “The Laughter Prescription"Sleep: “Changes in Sleep Duration, Quality, and Medication Use Are Prospectively Associated With Health and Well-being: Analysis of the UK Household Longitudinal Study"Frontiers in Psychology: “The great outdoors? Exploring the mental health benefits of natural environments"Cal Poly: “Cal Poly Study Shows Birdsongs Benefit Humans"Harvard Health: “Giving thanks can make you happier"Health Psychology Review: “Effects of music interventions on stress-related outcomes: a systematic review and two meta-analyses"Neuroscience: “Identification of an immune-responsive mesolimbocortical serotonergic system: Potential role in regulation of emotional behavior"Mayo Clinic: “Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)“The Einstein Journal of Biology and Medicine: “Bright Light Therapy: Seasonal Affective Disorder and Beyond"Association for Psychological Science: “How Do Simple Positive Activities Increase Well-Being?“The Harvard Gazette: “Wandering mind not a happy mind"Chemical Senses: “Effects of Fragrance on Emotions: Moods and Physiology"Natural Product Communications: “Stimulating effect of aromatherapy massage with jasmine oil"The International Journal of Neuroscience: “Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy"The Daily Mail: “What really makes us happy? How spending time with your friends is better for you than being with family"Quartz:“Blue Mind science proves the health benefits of being by water”
