• Mar 25, 2025 • Read in ~6 mins
— By Dr. Sandip Roy.I have been studying the psychology of happiness for more than a decade. The most commonly asked question I get is, “What is happiness?”
At that, many definitions and quotes from positive psychologists flood my mind. It isn’t easy to pick one. Over the years, I have started to say this:
“Happiness is both how good you feel at this moment and how content you are in your life.”
- The first part, how many positive emotions you now have, is called hedonia.
- The second part, how satisfied you are with your life, is called eudaimonia.
- Psychologists refer to happiness as subjective wellbeing.
I have done a detailed post on happiness-boosting strategies: 10 Greatest Happiness Hacks From Positive Psychology.
This post on happiness facts is more on the lighter side, but the facts are all backed by science. Enjoy this easy read!
1. Happiness: The Ultimate Supplement
Happiness can boost your immune system!
It’s like a free supplement pill that you can have almost whenever you want to.
I say so because experts found happiness depends more on our actions than on our circumstances. And we can act in definite ways to raise our happiness levels.
So, if you’re looking to ward off the flu (and there’s a study on that), don’t forget to add a daily dose of joy. It’s way more fun!
2. Money Can’t Buy Happiness (Sort of)
Money can buy a life out of poverty and need. Agreed.
But money can’t keep on buying happiness forever. Studies suggest money can make you happier until your income is about $75,000 a year.
Beyond that, it’s as if our emotional bank account says, “Enough already!” So, the ATM for joy has an upper level — you cannot keep topping it up forever.
Plus, there’s another truth: Money makes us happy for only a little while.
Read to find out How Can Money Buy Happiness (Psychology of Happy Money).
3. The Happiness Paradox
Chasing happiness can often make us less happy.
Studies prove it. You can’t pursue happiness and be happy.
- Happiness as a target is a bad target to set and aim for.
- Happiness is a by-product of the choices we make.
- It’s a secondary output of the usual business of life.
The harder we try to catch happiness, the faster it runs away. Like a dog chases its tail and never finds rest until it lets go.
So, the next time you do something you enjoy, just enjoy what you’re doing instead of trying to be happier.
4. Happiness is Contagious
Catching happiness is easier than catching a cold. It spreads through social networks like a cute cat video on the internet.
You’re 15.3% more likely to be happy if a person directly connected to you is happy.
James Fowler & Nicholas Christakis came together at Harvard to conduct a meta-study involving 5,000 students. They found:
- A friend who lives within a mile and becomes happy increases your chance of being happy by 25%.
- Spouses living in the same house increase your happiness by 8%.
- Siblings who live within a mile increase your chance of being happy by 14%.
- Next-door neighbors can boost your happiness by 34%.
And, this PhD thesis By George Mackerron found that our friends make us happier than our family!
So, if you’re looking to catch some joy, hang around happy people. It’s a contagion you’d want to get!
5. The Happiness Set Point
Much like our weight, we all have a happiness ‘set point.’
Whether you win a lottery ticket and become madly happy, or lose a significant sum of money and are driven to tears, none will last. You will return to your base level of happiness in some time.
It’s like our emotional thermostat, always bringing us back to our default level of joy. This process, known as hedonic adaptation, is why both extreme happiness and profound sadness eventually settle to a stable point.
So, no matter what life throws at you, remember, your inner happiness control is working just fine!
6. Happiness and Age:
What is the relationship between happiness and age?
- Do we become more miserable as we age?
- Or, do we actually get happier as we age?
- Or, is our happiness relatively constant, with a few boosts or dips (marriage, birth, promotion, illness, etc.)?
It seems happiness and age have a U-shaped relationship (Frijters & Beatton, 2012).
- You have your happiness highs in childhood and youth.
- There is almost no change in happiness between the ages of 20 and 50.
- Happiness starts to increase around 55, after which, there is a peak around 67.
- That is followed by a major decline after 75 years of age.
So, happiness over a lifetime is like a roller coaster ride. Your minimum level of satisfaction is at your middle age (30 to 50 years). If you’re any age over 20, take heart that the ride goes up again!
7. Experience Over Material Stuff
When it comes to happiness, experiences beat material possessions hands down.
It’s as if our joy prefers souvenirs of memories over shiny new objects.
So, the next time you’re torn between a vacation or a new gadget, remember, joy loves a good story!
8. The Power of Gratitude
It turns out, saying ‘thank you’ is like a ‘happy pill.’
The simple act of expressing gratitude can significantly boost your mood.
So, if you’re looking for a quick joy pick-me-up, try writing a thank-you note. It’s a prescription you can write yourself!
9. The Happiness of Giving
Giving not only feels good, but it’s also good for you. When you give, happiness comes back like a boomerang.
There are many ways to give:
- Charity: Donating money, goods, or time to support needy people.
- Philanthropy: Long-term, strategic giving, often involving large-scale donations to address systemic issues.
- Volunteerism: Offering time and skills without monetary compensation to help others or support causes.
- Kindness: Small, everyday acts that improve others’ well-being, like helping a neighbor or offering a kind word.
- Service: Giving professional or personal assistance to individuals or communities, often through organized efforts.
- Reciprocal Giving: Helping others with the expectation that they might help you in the future, fostering mutual support.
- Altruism: Selflessly helping others with no expectation of personal gain or recognition.
- Generosity: Willingly giving more than is necessary or expected, often involving sharing resources, time, or support with others.
So, if you’re looking for a joy boost, remember, it’s better to give than to receive!
10. The Joy of Now
Happiness often lies in the present moment.
It’s as if our joy is playing hide-and-seek, and it’s always hiding ‘now.’
So, if you’re on a joy quest, remember, it’s not in the future or the past; it’s in your current moment!
Final Words
How does time relate to happiness?
- Having too little time is linked to less happiness.
- Having too much time is also linked to less happiness.
- Focusing on time (vs. money or worries) increases happiness.
- To be happier, we should intentionally spend the time we have.
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√ Also Read: 2 Weeks Self-Love Challenge: Love Yourself More In 14 Days
√ Please share it with someone if you found this helpful.