How to bring happiness to your body

Take the time to make your body happy and you too.

4 Ways to Bring Joy to Your Body

1. Get stroked.

In a study conducted by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, participants were given 15-minute massages twice a week for five weeks; they reported less job stress and elevated mood. The subjects were also more alert and able to solve math problems quicker. Many massage therapists now make workplace calls or offer walk-in mini-massages, but if you can't get to a professional, ask your husband to put his hands to work on you. Oh, and speaking of which...

2. Get romantic.

Besides the fact that it's just plain fun, orgasm triggers your body to release endorphins (the brain chemicals that produce a sense of euphoria) and oxytocin (a hormone that has a calming, nurturing effect).

3. Get sweaty.

Yes, you've heard it before, but walking, biking or jogging will cheer you up no matter how bleak your mood. "Thirty minutes to an hour of aerobic exercise, three to five times a week, releases feel-good chemicals such as beta-endorphins and dopamine," says Keith Johnsgard, Ph.D., emeritus professor of clinical psychology at San Jose State University. "Those workouts also influence the activity of serotonin and norepinephrine, which may mimic the effect of antidepressants like Prozac."

4. Get straight.

Mom was right: You should perfect your posture. "Before you can straighten out your head, you have to straighten out your body," says Troiani, who notes that people with poor self-esteem tend to roll their heads and necks forward, while confident, happy people typically take big steps and stand up straight.