If you're watching the Paris Olympics and catch yourself smiling and cheering for athletes you don't know competing in events you've never heard of, you're definitely not alone.

This year's opening ceremony had a record-breaking 34 million viewers, while overall viewership of the Olympics is up 79% from the previous summer games in Tokyo.

This interest in the Olympics — and the joy it brings — are felt globally, but especially in the country at the heart of the games, France. The passion seen in Paris and even conveyed through fans' stylistic choices, like Jason Kelce's Ilona Maher shirt, has been deemed patriotic, but this major sporting event is also satisfying basic psychological needs, psychologists say.

Here's why you might feel so happy watching the Olympics and how you can find that joy after the closing ceremony.

Fitting in while standing out

Humans crave belonging, and when we rally behind sports teams, we feel as if we're part of something greater, Daniel Wann, who researches sports fandom at Murray State University, says. Characteristics which usually separate people like race or gender, don't matter so much in those moments.

That togetherness is vital to the human spirt and the "key to happiness is connection," says Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology at UC Riverside who specializes in human happiness.

"Humans were hardwired to be together and support each other and be in sync," she says.

What makes the Olympics special is that we feel like we're fitting in by say, rooting for Team U.S.A along with other American fans, but we also crave the ability to stand out. That desire is fulfilled because not everyone is supporting the same teams we are. Each fan is different.

"There's always that one team that sort of stands out and allows them to say, 'I'm not everybody. No, I'm not like this clone. There's something unique, special about me,'" Wann says. "And sport allows people to do that. They can fit in while they stand out."

Bearing witness to greatness

One of the main things that motivates us to watch sports are storylines, Wann says. The number of athlete backstories we learn are multiplied at the Olympics, which makes us that much more invested.

"It's like the canvas is so much larger to write on and to paint on for these stories that people as fans already love," he says. "It's just a perfect scenario."

Plenty of stories have dominated the Olympics news cycle, from the delightfully specialized "Pommel Horse Guy," to calm and collected Turkish sharpshooter Yusuf Dikeç and rugby player Ilona Maher.

When we watch these athletes succeed, we experience a warm feeling in our chests. That feeling is known as elevation, Lyubomirsky says, a term coined by psychologist Jonathan Haidt. It manifests when we are witnesses to greatness, like hard work finally paying off or moments of kindness.

But moments of greatness exist all around us. Lyubomirsky recalls experiencing elevation when she watched a young man help an injured bird in a parking lot.

"It was just so beautiful, this new, beautiful moment, where I felt connected, and he did something kind," she says. "I felt elevated, even though it was a very small thing."

Build community to experience that connection again

The confetti will eventually settle and the anthems will stop playing, but what happens to all of the happiness we experienced?

"Hopefully people are able to hang on to the memories and kind of relive some of the joy that way," Wann says. "But the reality is everybody's looking for the next fix, right?"

If people are missing the buzz of sports competition, they could consider following a sport year-round with a group of friends, says Lyubomirsky, who followed a hockey team with her friends when they were in college. The upside of that, Wann says, is that sports schedules offer humans structure and routine, two things we need to thrive.

That "next fix" doesn't necessarily have to be a sport though. If you miss the feeling of doing something with a large group of people, like cheering on your country, you could pick another activity that satisfies that need to belong. That might look like watching the same show or reading a book together, or even more hands-on tasks like gardening, says Lyubomirsky.

"Anything you can do to strengthen your relationships, whether it's one-on-one or small groups or big groups, is going to likely make you happier or maintain happiness," she says.

Find things worth celebrating

There's a lot to cheer for during the Olympics, but in our daily lives, we're more hesitant to acknowledge all the positives things happening around us, says work happiness coach Stella Grizont.

"It's like it's wired within us because in order to survive, we need to be alert to threat," she says. "But that bias ends up creating a filter, and it tends to skew our perception of reality. And so, in order for us to flourish and thrive, we have to really override that gravitational pull."

Though you might miss celebrating Olympic wins every day, you could try redirecting your attention to the little wins that happen daily in your own life, Grizont says. They might include planning a meeting, finishing a report or even just making it home safely.

"There is celebration everywhere," she says. "It doesn't matter, it doesn't have to be a gold medal. The small things matter just as much."

Want to stop worrying about money? Sign up for CNBC's new online course Achieve Financial Wellness: Be Happier, Wealthier & More Financially Secure. We'll teach you the psychology of money, how to manage your stress and create healthy habits, and simple ways to boost your savings, get out of debt and invest for the future. Start today and use code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off through September 2, 2024.

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.