Why happiness is contagious

“The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves or rather in spite of ourselves.”

Victor Hugo

If you have ever wondered if emotions are contagious, just think what happens when a baby smiles at the people around her.

I was reminded of this when my husband Phil and I went out for dinner at a local restaurant.

A young couple we didn’t know walked in carrying a baby girl, about 10 months old.

They sat next to us and the little girl smiled, laughed and cooed at us.

We smiled back and got chatting to the parents.

The baby’s little face was focused squarely on us and her happiness radiated to us.

I asked the mother if I could hold her and she said yes.

So Phil and I had dinner, with me holding a happy baby on my lap while her parents ate their dinner too.

The baby’s happiness had spread, not only to her parents but to strangers at a restaurant too.

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Can You Catch Happiness?

It sounds unlikely, but researchers have growing evidence to support the theory that happiness is ‘contagious.’

Dr Nicholas Christakis, a medical sociologist from Harvard Medical School, examined the emotional state of almost 5,000 people and the 50,000 social ties they had.

Over 20 years, the participants were asked about their happiness. And the findings are fascinating!

They found if your friend is happy, then you are 15 per cent more likely to be happy too.

Taking it one step further, if your friend’s friend is happy, then you are 10 per cent more likely to feel good about life.

And two steps further (so your friend’s friend’s friends) if they are happy, then your mood can jump by more than 5 per cent.

And the effect is most pronounced when it is two-way.

In other words, happiness is much more likely to be contagious if two people feel the same way about each other.

Interestingly, researchers found the mood of your friends might matter more than your partner or spouse.

A happy wife or husband only boosted people’s moods by 8 per cent, compared to a 60 per cent increase for a friend living less than a kilometer away.

Why your friends moods matter

On a practical level, we subconsciously mimic the facial expressions of those around us.

So if your friends are happy and smiling, then you are likely to be too.

Dr Christakis believes the key is we want to be like the people around us.

Maybe it harks back to a primitive survival mechanism.

Of wanting to be accepted by the tribe to stay safe.

So to be happy, does it mean you need to stop spending time with people who are unhappy or who bring you down?

I don’t think that’s the message from the research.

Instead, it means you need to be mindful of the effect your mood has on others, rather than just trying to find people who are always happy and upbeat.

Think About The Energy You Are Bringing into the Room: Oprah

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Oprah Winfrey displays a quote in her office and studio for her staff.

“Think about the energy you are bringing into the room”

That sentiment has always stuck with me.

Here is another quote that I love about the expansive nature of happiness.

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

How are you impacted by the moods of people around you?

I would love to hear your thoughts.

I read and respond to every reply.

Soph x