Happiness Can Be Inherited

Much like a lot of mental and behavioral aspects, genetics and the environment both play a role to certain extents. A 2011 study found that people with a certain form of the 5-HTTLPR gene reported higher life satisfaction. Another study done in 2016 pinpointed 3 different genetic variants associated with wellbeing, along with environmental factors of course. Although this research suggests that happiness can be genetic, that is not the only thing controlling it, you are not limited by your genes. It takes a lot of practice but you can take control of your happiness. Some ways to boost your levels of happiness could be to exercise, eat healthier, showing kindness to others, volunteering, laughing (even if its forcefully), and connecting with yourself spiritually. The relationship between happiness and genetics is the same with depression, where its can be inherited but also affected by other environmental factors. The difference is that with depression, when you inherit those traits that make you more susceptible to the disease, you might not experience it until something from the environment triggers it, like the death of a loved one or the changing of the seasons. I think its research like this one that plays a key role in the way our society views mental health. With the knowledge that mental disorders and overall health is not completely controllable by yourself, more people can be more accepting of the concept of mental health and will try to take care of that part of themselves more often. 

https://www.insider.com/is-happiness-genetic 

https://www.insider.com/is-depression-genetic 

Come On Get Happy

There is an article that is a bit older, but still very interesting, from Science Magazine. Scientists have been working finding the genetic variants that are associated with mental illness. A GWAS (genome-wide association studies) was conducted on a group of African Americans to try and find the loci that may be responsible for an inheritable trait of happiness. They were able to identify a specific loci that was strongly associated with an individual with more positive emotional experiences.

Genetics is incredible in the fact that every day that passes we learn a little more. I find it fascinating that so many traits, which are not limited to physical traits, are determined by an individual's genetic coding. I am eager to see how the identification of these genes in conjunction with advances in gene therapies; changes how much of the inherited self can be modified.

Discovery in the Genetics of Happiness

Happiness is said to be a fleeting thing, but thanks to researcher Meike Bartel, the scientific community is one step closer to understanding just how happiness is expressed in the first place. By sampling almost 300,000 people, Bartel took a sample of each subject's DNA and measured their well-being (self reported measure of life satisfaction and mental health). From this, she was able to determine important information about the link between genetics and happiness, including variants for happiness, depression, and areas on the genome linked to happiness.

Bartel stressed the fact that even though research has found a link between a subject's well-being and their genetic make up, lurking variables such as environmental factors play a major role in the overall well-being of a person. It is important to understand that a subject that does not exhibiting this variation can still be as happy as a person that does, but those with it are more prone to optimistic bias.

Meike Bartels speaking in Dubai about the 'Science of Happiness'

A journal I found on the subject on the National Institute of Health's website entitled "Genes, Economics, and Happiness", suggested that happiness was linked to a longer 5-HTTLPR allele, a serotonin transporter gene. Subjects that had a longer 5-HTT allele had a tendency to report a higher well-being that those that had shorter ones. Additionally, subject's with the shorter allele tended to succumb to stress depression more frequently. In both this journal and Bartel's journal article, the inconsistency of the experiments for this discovery was noted, as later experiments yielded varying results in regards to allele length and the effects on well-being. The topic would be interesting to explore further, as the link between the two variables could be significant.

An important question that was raised during this research is whether this genetic link to happiness could be used to genetically alter a person to have a happier predisposition. Unfortunately, the answer is no... for now anyway. Bartel explains that there are several thousand gene variants responsible for happiness, and altering that much DNA would be too great a task. For now, her focus is on the effects the environment has on genes.

CNBC "Happiness might Well be Genetic"

Looking to Genes for the secret to Happiness

Scientists have long surmised that your mood can affect your health, but researchers at UNC and UCLA have recently discovered some of the cellular mechanisms behind the genetic effects of happiness. The researchers had 80 healthy volunteers complete an online questionnaire about why they felt satisfied with their lives, and then drew blood in order to analyze their white blood cells. They were looking for differences in gene-expression that controlled different aspects of the immune response, and they found that there was a big difference between individuals with either hedonic or eudaemonic reasons for their happiness. This whose happiness came from consuming things (hedonic) had increased markers for inflammation, while those whose happiness came from service to others, or a higher purpose (eudaemonic) had higher levels of antibody producing gene-expression. These shifts are most likely driven by an evolutionary strategy of working for the common good.

The researchers added that there is no real need to change your lifestyle based on these findings, since many types of happiness can coexist. It is however recommended to try to look past the simple gratification when performing a task. I find this very interesting that something as simple as our source of happiness can alter your life at the biological level. 

Main article link: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/what-our-genes-reveal-about-true-happiness/
Secondary link: http://www.livescience.com/46877-denmark-happiness-genetics.html

Genetically Happy?

According to the article, "Happiness Is Mostly Genetic", happiness is greatly influenced by inherited factors.  Studies have proven that environmental factors have very little to do with an individual's happiness.  David Lykken conducted a study to measure how separated twins described personal contentment with their life.  Approximately 60 percent of twins that were separated at birth described their lives as happy, despite living in different environments.  Genes form personalities; therefore, the twins that describe themselves as happy were "genetically programed".  Science Daily reports similar findings with twins separated at birth.  Science Daily's article explains happiness is 50% inherited and 50% external factors.  Those who inherit happiness have an "affective reserve" in times of distress.  I always felt external factors played a larger role in happiness .  The two studies that observed separated twins was quite convincing. It provided evidence that environment has little to do with happiness, and genetics seems to have a greater impact.  After reading the two articles I agree that genetics has a great influence on personality and happiness.