🎧 If you're looking for an interesting podcast, consider this one on the science of happiness.
Laurie Santos, Professor at Yale University, saw many students were anxious or depressed and decided to teach a class on the science of happiness. It went on to become the college’s most popular course ever with over 1200 students vying for a place!
Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with Santos about the evidence-based strategies that help us find joy - and common mistakes that stand in the way.
Santos teaches the psychology behind happiness and practices which improve our quality of life - much of which is aligned with the Physical Intelligence techniques I advocate. Eg:
🧘 Practice Yoga & Meditation - great for clearing our mind, promoting focus and increasing mental/physical flexibility and fitness
🏃♀️ Exercise - great for cognitive function and creativity as well as boosting serotonin (our happiness and status chemical) and staving off depression
😴 Get More Sleep - the most powerful brain enhancer (and my personal “silver bullet”) - great for consolidating memories and experiences, detoxing the brain of waste products and regenerating our brain cells
🤝 Prioritize (deep) Social Connections (which boost oxytocin, our social bonding and trust chemical) - According to science, happy people have lots of social connections. Individuals who focus solely on goals and don’t take the time for relationships, end up feeling lonely as they have no one with whom to share their achievements.
⏱️Make Space for Free Time. Setting aside time for ourselves improves our mental health, but it takes a conscious effort.
🙏 Practice Gratitude – calling/writing to thank someone not only increases the recipient’s happiness, it also has a benefits the giver. Research by positive psychologist Martin Seligman suggests that it this happiness bump can last over a month!
Conversely, Santos also details pitfalls to avoid in our pursuit of happiness...
❌ Don't let your mind trick you into seeking goals and activities that you think will make you happy but don't!
For example continually seeking better grades, more money and higher status (chasing dopamine) rarely works and can actually have a negative effect.
❌ Consider Opportunity Costs
Don't put too much on the line to meet goals; make space to just be and be present in the here and now.
❌ Avoid Meaningless Social Interactions
Science tells us that deep conversations where people get vulnerable really increase a person’s well being vs. multiple fleeting conversations.
Taken in isolation, these tips may seem like common sense. Yet, when on the treadmill of daily life, it’s easy to forget what we should be doing to boost happiness.
Implement these, scientifically backed, suggestions into your daily routine and put the chemistry of happiness permanently in place for your life.
🌈 What do you do to boost happiness?
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