16 Scientifically Backed Ways to Immediately Boost your Happiness

16 Scientifically Backed Ways to Immediately Boost your Happiness

Check out these great, evidence-based tips from the Huffington Post…

Smile. A 2011 study showed that thinking about something positive that makes you smile can actually make you happier (fake smiles don't do the trick), while 2003 Clark University research found that smiling activates positive memories.

Go for a run. Physical activity boosts the brain's release of endorphins, feel-good neurotransmitters that can improve mood and well-being.

Pray. Spirituality and religious involvement is linked with greater well-being and happiness, according to a review of more than 300 studies on the connection between spirituality and health, while prayer is thought to relieve stress.

Laugh. In addition to relieving stress, laughter can boost mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Go for a stroll in the park. There are many health benefits to spending time in nature, including, perhaps, increased well-being. One UK study showed that subjects were significantly happier when in natural environments as compared to when they were in urban environments.

Perform an act of kindness. Do something nice for someone else today — it could make you happier, according to University of California research.

Listen to happy music. Students who listened to "happy" music while making a concerted effort to feel happier experienced elevations in mood, according to a small study published this year in the Journal of Positive Psychology…

…keep reading the full list AND see an awesome infographic HERE