This Is the Secret Smell of Happiness (and It Stinks!)
We all know that hitting the gym will boost your mood. Getting physical can be the cure to a creative block, productivity problems and of course, showing off those new yoga pants. But there might be another reason why you feel happier after your workout. According to a research study by Psychological Science, the secret key to happiness is being around other happy people… happy people who are sweating a lot.
We know that people transfer feelings of happiness through obvious signals, like smiling and laughing. No one can stay grumpy after getting a really great smile from their barista, right? But this new research says that we might get a boost of energy just from an odor. In tests, the researchers showed that feelings of happiness may generate chemicals that are secreted when we sweat. Anyone who smells those “happy” signals might just become happier. Even if those signals are in the form of sweat.
So apparently that old saying is true: Happiness is contagious. Researchers hope that studies like this will result in a greater understanding of what makes us happy. Maybe an aerosol can of “joy” isn’t too far away in the future.
What do you think of this sweaty research? Share your thoughts in the comments below!