Want to lower your blood pressure? Be happy!

The results suggest that happiness, anger, and anxiety increase blood pressure to differing degrees and that emotional effects may be greater in individuals with more labile blood pressure.

Study results showed that people with higher happiness ratings not only had a lower heart rate, but also had lower levels in their saliva of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, and less concentration in their blood of a plasma that's connected to heart disease.

Being happy releases a happiness hormone called dopamine that lowers blood pressure.

According to a study led by Professor Martin Fussenger from the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) in Basel, being happy releases a happiness hormone called dopamine that lowers blood pressure. Our body not only feels content whenever it receives dopamine from feel-good activities, therefore, it would not be wrong to say that happiness is a great teacher as it teaches us to behave in a certain way so that we can be happy more often. Scientists claim that this discovery could lead to better ways of controlling our mind's dopamine system for therapeutic purposes.

Healthy ways to be happy!

Even though, drugs and alcohol gives us momentary happiness the feeling is fleeting as in the long term you will keep on needing more and more of those substances for your brain to signal the dopamine release. Here are some healthy ways to be happy:

Eat fruits and vegetables

Eating at least eight portions of fruits and vegetables every day will keep you more cheerful and optimistic about the future, scientists say. Although it is not known exactly how fruits and vegetables improve well-being, they contain chemicals known as antioxidants, which are thought to reduce stress levels.

Watch a 'feel good' movie

In a recent article entitled, The Pursuit of Hopefulness: Operationalizing Hope in Entertainment Media Narrative, published in Routledge journal Media Psychology, watching a feel-good movie can release positive emotions and make you happy. So, the next time you hear about an uplifting movie in the theatres be sure to book a ticket.

Exercising can make you happy

The brain releases endorphins when we exercise and this not only makes us upbeat but also our body feels light and fresh. After sweating it out in the gym or playing a sport, we let go of toxins from our body. Regular exercise goes a long way in keeping various ailments at bay.

When you experience depression, anxiety or stress your heart rate and blood pressure rise, there's reduced blood flow to the heart and your body produces higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Over time, these effects can lead to heart disease.

Your reaction to stress may affect your blood pressure Your body produces a surge of hormones when you're in a stressful situation. These hormones temporarily increase your blood pressure by causing your heart to beat faster and your blood vessels to narrow.