Happy Faces: A study that shows that the more anxiety people have, the more difficult it is for them to recognize happy faces. This makes sense because anxiety influences how we view the world and others.

Keeping our anxiety to a minimum is healthier for us both emotionally and physically. Being able to recognize happy faces is just one small benefit of having less anxiety, but it illustrates how much we may be missing when our anxiety gets too high. Misinterpreting or overlooking others’ emotions can lead to all kinds of problems in relationships. Activities like yoga, meditation, and exercise can help reduce anxiety, so can keeping caffeine to a minimum, soaking in a hot bath, getting a massage (click here for a metro Washington area Deaf massage therapist), and taking a few deep breaths.

W.M. Keck Laboratory For Functional Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin