There must have been a time when you perform a task or responsibility with so much enthusiasm that makes it feels like you are born for it. The activity could be related to caregiving, music, sports, or any other discipline. That was perhaps the moment you connected with your life purpose. Happiness will be one of the words you will use to express how you feel. This shows that purpose gives you genuine happiness, among other things which ultimately affect your health positively.

Happiness refers to the experience of positive emotions, such as joy, contentment, and satisfaction. Happiness and purpose are fundamental don’t only make you feel good but provide you several health benefits. 

This article takes a detailed look at the significant importance of happiness and purpose to your overall health. Here are the importance:

1. Promotes Health Habits

Research has shown that people who have a sense of purpose and happiness tend to practice a wide range of healthy habits essential for overall health. These people eat healthy diets – like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; improve sleeping habits; and physical activities. A healthy diet prevents diseases like diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Sound sleep and consistent physical activities help build strong bones, increase energy levels, decrease body fat, and lower blood pressure. These, thus, immensely improve your overall health and makes you live longer in sound health. 

2. Boost Your Immune System

The immune system gets more vital when you are happy. Doing work that aligns with your purpose makes you happy hence boosting your immune system. A strong immune system reduces your risk of developing colds, chest infections, among other diseases.

3. Boost Your Activeness

Living on purpose and being happy makes you feel more alive, energized, and authentic. This makes your mentality physically and emotionally fit. Every aspect of your life and the people around you will positively benefit from this. So, happiness and purpose promote the relationship between you and people. You tend to be more engaged with friends and loved ones.

4. Longer Life

Sound healthy, and vitality has one significant effect on your life-a a more extended life. Various scientific researches substantiate the claim that purpose and happiness promote longer life. The purpose is called ikigai in Japan. According to a 2019 study in Japan, it was discovered that over 73,000 Japanese men and women who had a strong connection to their sense of purpose tended to live longer than those who didn’t. Also, in Dan Buettner study of “Blue Zones” – communities in the world in which people are more likely to live past 100 – He found that the predominant belief that most centenarians share and this is a strong sense of purpose.

5. It Reduces Risk Of Heart Diseases And Alzheimer

A 2008 study in Japan discovered most Japanese men earlier death and cardiovascular disease are associated with a low sense of purpose. Many other researches in this area found that purpose is a possible protective factor against near-future myocardial infarction among those with coronary heart disease.

Additionally, Dr. Patricia Boyle, a neuropsychologist who studied thousands of elderly subjects in her studies, discovered that people with a low sense of life purpose were 2.4 times more likely to get Alzheimer’s disease than those with a strong purpose. Also, people with a low level of purpose are at high risk of developing impairments in daily living and mobility disabilities.