The emotional impact of flowers.

• Position: Your Life - Brief Article

With today's high-tech and fast-paced lifestyle taking its daily toll on our lives, experts advise exercising and other lifestyle changes to relieve stress. According to behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health--flowers. Their presence triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction, and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed.

A team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants' behavioral and emotional responses to receiving them. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods:

* Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All participants expressed smiles upon receiving them, demonstrating delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.

* Flowers have a positive effect on moods...