There is a paradox in the science of health and happiness. It’s a habit that at first could look like it would take health away from us, making us weaker and unhappy.

But when tested in repeated studies, interviews, and even common sense tests, this habit has been proven to lower blood pressure, improve sleep, optimize cholesterol levels and make you live longer.

But to benefit the most from this habit, you should do it in a way you wouldn’t expect.

You guessed it right. The Christmas habit is, of course, giving. Nothing makes us happier than a big smile from someone we have just treated with a nice gift.

Repeated studies have shown that people are happier after giving a gift rather than buying something for themselves or even receiving a gift. I guess it’s just one of those strange things that makes us human.

It’s about the connection. People who have a strong connection to lots of people have fewer health issues. In some societies where social connection is very strong, diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and even cancer are almost unheard of. People just die of old age and die happy.

Happiness is extremely important to your health. People who are truly happy tend to be much healthier and suffer fewer diseases than those who are less happy. This is of course not true for everyone (there are many happy people who suffer diseases), but I’m speaking in general.

It’s not just that they’re happy because they’re healthy. Doing things that make you happy has been used as a healing tool by many doctors and health experts. And giving, volunteering and other unselfish acts are at the top of the list of things that boost happiness.

But it’s the social aspect of giving that brings on the strange twist to this issue.

You see, people seem to be much happier when they give or support someone closer to their social circle, or if the giving seems to boost their social connection.

You would, for example, probably be much happier visiting the local homeless center rather than sending a check to a similar center across the country.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t support those in need far away. But rather than sending an anonymous check, try to find someone in your community who represents those you want to support and donate directly through that person. That way you’ll also know for sure that most of the money will reach those you want to support and not be lost in “management costs.”

For those of us who are raised in the Christian religion, Christmas is the time for giving. But no matter what religion with which we identify, we shouldn’t limit ourselves to one day or one month.

Let us think about giving every single day. Not just for those who need it, but also for the selfish purpose of boosting our own health and happiness.