Although people use different tools to be happy, such as sports, hobbies, meditation, exercise, massages, and self-help books, the search for happiness never ends. However, a Japanese research team has learned the key to happiness seems to be a mix of happy emotions and satisfaction with life. They merge in the grey matter of a certain region of the brain that becomes active when a person is awake.
The study was conducted by a Kyoto University research team lead by Wataru Sato.
Researchers first took magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the study's subjects. The volunteers then took a survey that asked about how often they were happy, how strong their emotions were, and how satisfied they were with life.
Scientists learned that people with higher happiness scores had more grey matter in the region of the brain called the precuneus. It is located in the medial parietal lobe, which processes sensory information.
In other words, a bigger precuneus causes different effects. They include stronger feelings of happiness, weaker feelings of sadness, and finding more meaning in life, according to EurekAlert!
Humans experience emotions such as being sad, angry, or surprised in different ways. For example, when people get a compliment they feel different levels of happiness.
Psychologists now know that there are many factors that make a person "happy." They include their emotions and satisfaction with life.
However, scientists are not sure about the exact process in the brain that causes the happiness. Sato shared that learning such information would help to measure a person's level of happiness.
The Japanese researcher explained that throughout human history, famous scholars such as Aristotle have thought about what happiness is, according to The Hindu Business Line. He is happy that his team learned more about the key to happiness.
Sato hopes that his study's findings will help to make better happiness programs such as those that include meditation. One key element in people's search for happiness has now been found.
A recent study showed that about three-quarters of developed countries' populations are happy. However, a large majority also wish they had simpler lives.
Here is a video about humans' search for happiness: