HAPPINESS AND HEALTH.

OMADAI RAJAHLALL
Dr. McCormick
ENG 101
Happiness and Health.
Happiness is the pleasant emotions and moods that people experience, and it is really the only aspect of a person’s life with any ultimate value. Anything that brings pleasure, peace, or we enjoy doing will indeed make people happier which is a major contribution towards a person’s health. Happiness is a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure, peace and joy and is the key factor that can prevent people from becoming depressed or stressful. Depression, also known as depressive disorder is a serious medical condition that can impact the way people feels and act towards each other. A person who is very unhappy can become depressed. Depression causes many physical effects which are displayed on a person’s body in many different ways which is very unhealthy for them. A happier person is healthier, and will live longer than another person who is depressed. A person growing body with evidences of happiness suggest that being happier can actually make him/her live longer. Mallika Chopra studied 180 nuns in Milwaukee and revealed that “joyful nuns tend to live longer than their gloomy counterparts. Two – thirds of somber – minded sisters in the study died before their 85th birthday, while on an average the happy ones lived 9 years longer.” However, there are a few ways in which people can relieve their stress or depression, such as the practicing of yoga and meditation, and having happy and positive state of mind.
Depression affects both a person’s mind and body, causing behavioral, emotional and physical symptoms that may cause some serious consequences. Depression sufferers tend to feel hopeless, like nothing will ever get better. Stress causes people to become mentally ill, and it can really affect their immune system. Headache is a very common symptom of depression. An individual that is depressed and suffers from headaches will experience it frequently and very intense, as a result of this condition. Many people who suffer from depression find that it affects their sleeping patterns, such as difficulty in sleeping, or little amount of sleep, getting up frequently, or getting up earlier than usual. Some people cannot find the courage to even get up and face reality. Many people are unable to gain pleasure that normally would be pleasurable when they are depressed. They even feel restless, tense, tired all the time or having no energy. It also causes many people to lose their appetites, which is a result to major weight loss. However, some people would increase with their appetites and this will cause them to gain a lot of weight which leads to more depression. Depression is a very dangerous mental disorder and can put people in a position of great discomfort while their thinking levels become more and more negative. Almost every day there is an article in the news paper about suicidal attempts or suicidal cases which is caused by depression. Getting deeper into negative thinking always lead to deeper depression and lose of control over a person’s life. It is a chronic illness which thousands of American children and adults experienced daily and may last for months. Depression lead many people to commit suicide because they can’t handle the state of depression, and is one of the leading death rates in the U.S.A. An analysis researched of depression suicides across in the U.S.A proves that “It is the principal cause of 30,000 suicides in the U.S. each year. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death, third amount individuals 15-24” It could be because of a specific, distressing life event, or a psychological factor, like a negative view of life, etc. They could be very unhappy due to relationship problems, sicknesses, or financial issues, etc. Depression could also be dangerous to those people who have medical issues. It frequently co-occurs with a variety of medical illness, such as heart disease, blood pressure, cancer, and chronic pain and is associated with poorer health status. However, people can be able to overcome all these pain and depression by having a positive state of mind, and the practicing of yoga and meditation.
People can override anything and be happy in any terrible situation by having that positive state of mind, and the practicing of yoga and meditation. These are three important aspects to decrease stress and improve happiness in a person’s life. A positive state of mind or thinking is guidance to a healthier and happier life. If a person thinks and do things positively, they would be able to get through any difficult decisions or situations. However, it’s all base on a person’s mind to be positive when making their own decisions. Happiness is the state of mind and the mind rules the body. Harry Olson said “If you decide to be healthy, hopeful, and fun-loving, that’s what you’ll be.” (83). This is saying, with the right or positive attitude, people have the ability to make things better. A positive state of mind will avoid people from getting depressed. Yoga offers excellent postures, exercises and positions which relaxes the body and releases any stress, tension or pain. The practicing of yoga and meditation is an excellent choice to free a person’s body and mind from depression, and the gaining of pleasures and happiness. It provides a great form of energy and helps to get a healthier immune system. It plays an important role towards improving people’s health. It is known to be a physical and mental therapy. A regular yoga practice can help in weight management. It provides relief to needed joints and pains to any part of a person’s body. There is also the laughing yoga. This type of yoga is a major contribution toward people’s anger and stress management. It takes a person mind away from all the negativities that may be on his mind causing sings of unhappiness. It changes a person who is in a miserable mood into a happy and pleasant mood. It erases all pains, sufferings, and any negative thoughts or concerns from people who practice it. Madan Lal Kataria believes, “that true mindful laughter can have a liberating, transformative effect – one that momentarily erases all practical concerns, fears, needs and even notions of time, and provides a glimpse into spiritual enlightenment”. (81). This is definitely true because of my own experienced. My ENG-101 teacher made myself and the entire class practiced it once in the classroom. At first I felt a little awkward because it was the first time and many people were around. However, I decided to try it at home a few days later because I was a little depressed. I laughed about four minutes and was amazed by the results. I felt very relaxed, the tension wasn’t there anymore and I felt as though a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders. From that day on, I promised myself to practice it whenever I am feeling unhappy, angry or stressed. Charles Schaefer noted that “adults who act happy (broad smile; heartily smile) for a minute a day are likely to elevate their mood.” (81). These are indeed clear facts that happiness in people’s lives can actually make them live longer.
The less depressed people are in their lives, or if they have a positive state of mind and practice yoga and meditation are evidence of great aspects of happiness to expand their lives. The practicing of yoga and meditation helps to boost a person immune system, which will help the people to be healthier and live a longer live with pleasures. They will be able to function properly. Ruut Veenhoven said “the effects of happiness on longevity were comparable to that of smoking or not”. He is saying that it doesn’t matter if a person smoke or not, but they are happy they tends to live longer. The special flair of feeling good and happy can lengthen people’s lives. If people have a positive attitude in live, if they know they can make any situation better and have no negative emotions then the body will survive longer.