If You’re Happy and You Know It, Thank Your Friends!
Harvard Medical School and University of California, San Diego’s research on happiness shows that happiness seems to spread “more robustly” through social networks than sadness. While suffering and loneliness can ripple through a social network as people isolate themselves from the network, in the case of happiness, “One person’s happiness triggers a chain reaction that benefits not only his friends, but his friends’ friends, and his friends’ friends’ friends. The effect lasts for up to one year.”
The study went on to demonstrate how geography plays a role – friends living next door were more influenced towards happiness than friends living a mile away. In other words, connecting with real live people in your community was what made the biggest influence.
This is why we do things the way we do at Coast Chiropractic – a group entrainment room, regular classes and workshops, community events and more. One of the many benefits of healing together in a community is that as one person grows and heals, becoming happier as a result (someone you may not even know) this influence spreads to those nearby, as the study shows, “Happiness appears to love company more so than misery.”
“We’ve found that your emotional state may depend on the emotional experiences of people you don’t even know, who are two to three degrees removed from you,” says Harvard Medical School professor Nicholas Christakis, who, along with James Fowler from the University of California, San Diego co-authored this study. “And the effect isn’t just fleeting.”
Another study of over 2,500 people receiving Network Care demonstrated, in addition to improved physical function and well-being: improvement in positive feelings about self; less depression; more interest in life; feeling open when relating to others; improved quality of life in relation to job, co-workers, personal life, romantic life; and more contentment with life.
In other words, they felt HAPPIER.
From the Harvard Medical School study, we now know that when ONE PERSON feels happier, their FRIENDS and their FRIEND’S FRIENDS and their FRIEND’S FRIEND’S FRIENDS will also feel happier!!! I used to joke that I specialized in “attitude adjustments”. Well, it’s not a joke anymore! When you’re “well-adjusted”, entraining to YOUR natural rhythm, you feel better, and everyone around you feels better, too!
As the article concluded, “This research adds further proof to the idea that because we are all interconnected in social networks, our health is also interconnected.” I look forward to continue to aid you on your path to health and happiness.
-Dr. David Carson
Insurance and MSP Assistance Renewal
If you have extended insurance or you benefit from MSP premium assistance, your coverage renews January 1. These benefits can help you reach your 2014 health goals!