Happiness is your body’s way of saying ‘Well done, keep going.’

It’s a common assumption that smiling happy people generally outlive their grumpy counterparts, Essential we are taking a look at the science behind it.

Have a read below and see if you can turn that frown upside down, you never know… You might add a few extra days, or even years, reducing your life insurance premiums at the same time!

Happy People Are More Relaxed

Relaxed people tend to send out much smaller amounts of stress hormones, such as cortisol. In its normal function, cortisol helps us meet life’s challenges by converting proteins into energy - but too much of a good thing is bad for us.

Increased cortisol levels can destroy healthy muscle and bone, mess up your metabolism and weaken your immune system. So relaxation is the key. Reduce stress with exercise or breathing techniques, or enjoying a hobby such as listening to your favourite music or reading a total page-turner.

Happiness, Friendships and a Longer Lifespan

A study from University College London shows that happiness is not just down to good health. Professor Andrew Steptoe says “Happiness is quite strongly linked to good social relationships and it is likely these that are contributing to the link between happiness and health.”

As humans, it’s our close relationships that provide us with love, meaningful bonding and emotional support. Broader social networks give us a sense of belonging; and it’s these combined, that contribute to our self-worth.

Reach out, book a lunch date or visit a friend, as all the evidence shows that stronger relationships lead to a stronger you.

Happy to Help

A great way to form new bonds, and strengthen existing ones, is caring for others. Helping other people is not only good for them; it’s good for us too. Altruistic acts are a long-debated topic – but what’s not to love? If helping others is helping you too, then we say everyone is a winner.

In a 2006 study, the National Institutes of Health found that when people give to charities, it activates regions of the brain associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust, creating a “warm glow” effect. This behaviour has shown to release endorphins known as the ‘helpers high’.

Get involved with a charity- giving something back doesn’t have to be about money. Offering your time, talents, ideas or energy can be beneficial for your chosen cause.

The results are in - doing good, will make you feel good. Try it today and see.

Happiness is Essential

Here at Essential, we’re always thinking up ways to boost morale; we think happy staff equals happy customers. We’re obviously on to something, as we are proud to enjoy our 100% happiness rating on Feefo – that means 100% of our customers surveyed were satisfied with our service.

We’re also happy to help. So for more information, or if you have any questions regarding life protection, call us today on 0800 612 8005 and speak to a member of the team.