Where is happiness located in the brain?
Everyone strives for happiness in their life, but where is it actually located? I don’t mean where you have to move to in order to find it, or what you have to do to get it, but rather where happiness is located in the brain. An article from CTV News explains more in depth.
Try to be happy
This idea is fascinating, as people experience happiness (or unhappiness) in different ways and is largely left to interpretation of the individual. A team of Japanese scientists have conducted a study in order to find out where exactly happiness “lives” in the brain. Waturu Sato of Kyoto University in Japan used an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to answer this question. “The discovered that the combination of positive emotions and satisfaction derived from life events had an impact of the precuneus, which is part of the parietal lobe.
Dr. Sato’s team analyzed the brains of 51 participants “to measure their subjective happiness as well as the emotions they felt.” The team gave each participant a questionnaire in order to determine their happiness, intensity of emotions, and how happy they are with their lives.
Happy Research
The study showed that the participants who were happier had more grey matter in the precuneus than those who were less happy. Waturu stated” Several studies have shown that meditation increases grey matter mass in the precuneus”.
This is good news for those of us who feel like we could be happier in our lives. Practicing some type of meditation is shown to actually make you happier. So, what’s stopping you?
The answer to this question is still being researched, but some scientists believe that happiness is located in the frontal cortex of the brain. This part of the brain is responsible for things like planning, organizing, and regulating emotions.
Train Your Brain to be Happy
There are a few things that people can do to make their brains happier. Some simple things include getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly. Additionally, people can practice positive thinking and meditation to help train their brains to be happier. Finally, spending time with loved ones and volunteering are excellent ways to boost your mood.
Ultimately, happiness is a subjective feeling that everyone experiences differently, and it depends largely on the individual’s perception of their own life. Therefore, what makes one person happy may not work for someone else. Everyone should look inward to find out what truly makes them content, so they can strive towards achieving lasting happiness.
Hard Work for a Happy Life
Living a happy life requires work and dedication, but it is worth the effort in the end. Focusing on physical and mental health, as well as engaging with loved ones can all contribute to an overall happier state of being. Taking the time to discover what truly makes you content is the key to finding happiness. With this knowledge, anyone can make strides towards achieving lasting joy and fulfillment in their lives.
These are just a few ways to help you cultivate joy and contentment. Remember, it is important to listen to your own needs and find out what makes you truly happy. Everyone deserves the right to pursue their own happiness in life, so start exploring today!
Happy living! 🙂
