happiness

The study found older people with a positive outlook and a happy disposition had a 35 percent lower risk of dying than their grouchy counterparts.

In what could be termed as the first step to unraveling the mysteries of what makes for a happy temperament, researchers have discovered that the secret lies in your genes.

According to geneticists, a person’s happiness and satisfaction in life is governed by a specific gene, 5-HTT in our DNA.

The 5-HTT gene comes in two variations, a long and short version and is involved with the transportion of serotonin, a chemical linked to depression and mood swings in humans.

The study by San Francisco State University (SFSU) researchers shows that happiness depends on individual personality traits.

The findings indicate that some people of certain persona tend to be happier than others because of the way they visualize their past, present, and future.

The researchers observed that individuals who are extravert and those with a self-gratification of the past and the present were more satisfied with their lives than those who ponder with their negative experiences.