Are you happy? A new study published in the BMJ says happiness is contagious and good for your health. To find out if that's true we went to a guy who sees no shortage of smiles.
Santa making his appearance at Westgate Mall says, "I see it through the eyes of a child. What happiness is. It is almost like a magnet that draws you to the happiness part of life."
Santa would know. He's seen for himself the study findings are true. He says one smile to a child is a chain reaction.
Santa says, "It just goes from them too their parents because then they start smiling that their child is smiling."
Doctors say there's scientific proof happiness can make you healthy. Especially when you laugh, you reduce the amount detrimental hormones in your body and that boosts your immune system. You can transfer that benefit to friends through your good mood.
The study found that each happy friend you have increases your chances of being happy by nine percent.
Caitlin Hazel says she believes it. "I think anytime you see someone smiling it puts a different smile on your face."
However, probably the most interesting finding is if you smile at someone of the same gender it has a greater impact on the person.
Jackie Talbert says, "They smile a lot and that means they are happy that makes everybody happy. When we see happy people don't you get happy?"
The study also found there is a happiness benefit to social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace.
Even spreading good feelings over the internet and connecting with happy people online has real benefits in the body.
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