A Chinese proverb states, “Sometimes your happiness is the cause of your smile, but sometimes your smile is the cause of your happiness.” Intriguingly, studies have actually shown that “facial feedback¹” is a real phenomenon and the act of smiling does increase positive affect! What the proverb intuitively hints at is what we do with our bodies (even our face it seems) influences our emotional state, and there is mounting evidence to support this.

Exercise is not only medicine for many physical ailments, it is one of the most powerful (and yet least utilised) antidepressants available. The depression relieving benefits of exercise rival antidepressant medication², which is hardly surprising given that our muscular system is arguably our bodies largest internal pharmacy, producing a myriad of myokines³ that have widespread effects. But exercise can do more than relieve depression; it also promotes positive psychological functioning, or for want of a better word, happiness. In the words of Martin Seligman, recognised as the father of the Positive Psychology movement, “at least half of positive psychology occurs below the neck”.

Exercise is but one of the pillars of Lifestyle Medicine known to promote psychological and emotional wellbeing⁴. For example, there is mounting evidence⁵ that food feeds mood. Proudly, Australian-based researchers (including our very own Professor Felice Jacka) are playing a lead role in exploring the food-mood connection. But once again, not only is positive nutrition being shown to relieve negative affect, there is evidence that it also enhances positive affect and makes people happier. For example, a study⁶ involving 80,000 participants from the United Kingdom reported a dose-response relationship between happiness and the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Approximately eight to nine daily serves of fruit and vegetables appears to confer optimal happiness benefits (after which the happiness benefits plateau off because happiness has limits!). To more fully elucidate causality (perhaps happier people are just more inclined to eat more fruits and vegetables!), New Zealand researchers⁷ conducted an innovative study and found that people tend to report feeling happier the day after consuming more fruits and vegetables, indicating that fruit and vegetable consumption drives affective responses and not the other way around.