Honesty is the best policy after all! Researchers have found that telling fewer lies can improve your physical and mental health.

A study found that people experienced about four fewer mental health complaints such as feeling tense or sad by telling three fewer lies in a 10-week period.

They also had three fewer physical problems - including sore throats and headaches, the Daily Mail reported on Wednesday.

A total of 110 people, their age ranging from 18 to 71, took part in the study conducted by the University of Notre Dame researchers.

About half the participants were instructed to stop telling lies during the study. The other half served as a control group that received no special instructions about lying.

Results showed the link between less lying and better health was significantly stronger for participants in the no-lie group.

They experienced four fewer mental health complaints and three fewer physical problems - after telling three fewer lies.