Keep smiling - you might live longer

Being unhappy could be worse for your health than being obese. Professor Ed Diener from the University of Illinois reviewed 160 studies into the connection between a positive state of mind and overall health and longevity. The overwhelming majority of studies supported the idea that happiness was associated with a longer life and the connection was stronger than that between obesity and early death. In the laboratory positive moods were found to reduce stress-related hormones, increase immune function and help the heart recover following exertion.