How to Be Happier in January Than in July

Warm Your Hot Spots

Much of the time, our sight trumps all of our other senses. But touch takes over when we’re feeling cold, sick, depressed and vulnerable. Chris Janiszewski, a business-school professor at the University of Florida, found that depressed consumers have a deeper appreciation for how a rich lotion feels when caressed into the skin, whereas people who feel neutral or upbeat focus on how it looks. Touching—and being touched—are restorative because they signal the presence of a protector. “The most receptive areas are the scalp, back and forearms,” says Janiszewski. For the winter blahs, a steamy whirlpool bath or a massage chair—or, better yet, a hands-on massage—have more therapeutic potential than anything you lay your eyes on. (Except sunshine.)