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Award yourself five points for every correct answer
C: Stand tall, feel tall
Research from Harvard University shows that your levels of the stress hormone cortisol take a dive when you adopt certain body postures. So if you’re feeling rushed or stressed, raise your arms like you’ve won a marathon or stand like Wonder Woman with your hands on your hips and legs hip-width apart.
B: Sing out and smile
Research by VICHEALTH has found that group singing increases feelings of self-confidence, empowerment, wellbeing and interpersonal skills, and lowers feelings of isolation, depression and anxiety. Time to channel your inner Adele or Bruno Mars!
A: Plate up with plant foods
Eating more fruit and vegetables can lead to a spike in happiness, shows research from the University of Warwick. Each extra daily portion helped boost happiness and eight portions a day was found to improve life satisfaction.
A: Go for the gold
Preliminary studies have found a link between increased inflammation and depression. Turmeric to the rescue! This goldencoloured spice is high in curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties. In a Murdoch University study, curcumin extract was found to help lift the mood of people with depression. Chat to your GP about the best options for you.
C: Give more
“Studies show that helping others is associated with far higher levels of happiness,” says Timothy Sharp, psychologist and founder of the Happiness Institute in Sydney. Research at the University of Buffalo shows that altruism can also boost your health and longevity.
B: Schedule a date night
Happiness increases if couples have sex once a week, but doesn’t increase more if they have sex more often, according to research from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.
A: Flower power
Just being in the presence of flowers reduces stress, lifts your mood and heightens relaxation, energy and compassion, says a study from Harvard University.
C: Show gratitude
Saying “thank you” works like a booster shot for your relationship. It improves intimacy and romance, increasing connection and satisfaction even the following day, found a study in the journal Personal Relationships.
A: Ask for help
“Happy and resilient people don’t necessarily cope with everything on their own,” says Sharp. “Often they reach out and ask for help and meet setbacks with solutions.”
C: Chill out
Staying glued to your phone and social media is linked to increased anxiety and reduced happiness. It can also lessen physical activity and fitness. Schedule phonefree time every day – it’ll help ease your FOMO
(Fear of Missing Out).
C: Balance bacteria
These foods contain prebiotics – natural, plant-based fibres which feed good bacteria in your gut. By helping to change gut bacteria, they may reduce inflammation, improve blood glucose and insulin profiles and support a healthier balance of good belly bacteria. “Astounding new research shows that bad bacteria populations in the human body may have an impact on mood, thinking and depression,” says researcher Amy Wallis from Victoria University.
A: Breathing too fast
“Many people get anxious because they over-breathe, taking more than 10 to 12 breaths per minute,” says Dr Andrew Page, professor in the School of Psychological Science at the University of Western Australia.
“This can lead to an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide (often indicated by yawning), which can increase anxiety and other symptoms such as dizziness.” So when stressed, “breathe in for a count of three seconds and out for three,” says Page. Persevere for 10 minutes and you’ll feel calmer. Repeat several times a day to reduce anxiety and increase calm.
B: Savour the moment
Practising mindfulness decreases perceived stress, anxiety and depression in people with diabetes, according to research by Tilburg University in the Netherlands.
Try noticing unhelpful thoughts and let them go. Live in the moment. Scheduling around 20 minutes of mindfulness a day for eight weeks has been shown to create positive brain changes. But even just 10 minutes can help reduce stress.
C: Genetics count
Your DNA is responsible for up to 48 per cent of your happiness, with another 40 per cent being influenced by things like recent events, found researchers at the University of Minnesota. The remaining 12 per cent where you can impact on your own happiness can make all the difference.
A: Poor sleep increases worry
Too little sleep leads to people feeling overwhelmed and increases worrying and negative thoughts, shows research at Binghamton University in the US. To boost zzzs, minimise your screen and device use at night.