The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

Really concentrating on the emotions and physical sensations you are experiencing right now can make you happier. Join Yale mindfulness expert Dr Hedy Kober as she introduces a live audience to guided meditation. She shares her tips on being mindful with Dr Laurie Santos and explains the new scientific research that shows the benefits of this ancient practice. For an even deeper dive into the rese...

Grit and determination to change your habits can only get you so far... if you want to be happier you have to stop and think about how nice people have been to you and how nice you can be to them in return. This circle of gratitude - the science suggests - will also make you a better friend to one of the most important people in your life... your future self. Dr Laurie Santos investigates this eff...

Research shows we all look for moments to make a fresh start - new years, new seasons, new decades. Our optimism about making big, positive changes is strong, but it fades quickly. As we enter 2020, Dr Laurie Santos asks Wharton's Katy Milkman about the science behind the "fresh start' effect and examines ways we can maintain our new habits beyond January. For an even deeper dive into the research...

Accept our gift of happiness this holiday season! It can be a hectic and stressful time of year... but it's also full of opportunities to feel happier. Dr Laurie Santos brings you science-based tips so you can have yourself a merry little Christmas. AlSO: The Happiness Lab returns with four special New Year shows to take you into 2020 - beginning 6 Jan. To sign up to our newsletter visit happiness...

From school grades to fitness trackers, we're all being ranked and rated on a daily basis. This is having a huge impact on our happiness and preventing us from living our lives to the fullest. Can giving up on grades radically improve our wellbeing? For an even deeper dive into the research we talk about in the show visit happinesslab.fm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcas...

The moods of those around us can directly influence how happy or sad we feel. Drawing on psychology and neuroscience, Dr. Laurie teams up with the world’s leading expert on TV laugh tracks to explore how emotional cues shape our feelings without us realizing it. From sitcoms to social groups, learn how humans naturally “catch” emotions from others—and how we can we intentio...

We tend to think having more options is better, but the science shows too many choices can drain mental energy, increase anxiety, and make us feel worse about making decisions, even when those decisions seem trivial. Dr. Laurie explores the psychology of choice overload and decision fatigue—including why we wrongly prioritize more choices over greater well-being and how constant decision mak...

We often think positive thinking is the best way to achieve our ambitions - but the science shows it holds us all back. Dr Laurie Santos hears how champion swimmer Michael Phelps imagined the worst to help make his Olympic dreams come true. It's a mental habit that you can learn too. For an even deeper dive into the research we talk about in the show visit happinesslab.fm Learn more about your ad-...

How many times have you tried to suppress an unwanted thought, only to ruminate on it even more? Research shows that the brain reacts to attempts at thought suppression by repeatedly checking for the thought, making it stronger and increasing our distress. Dr. Laurie explains why our minds work in this paradoxical way—and explores the science behind intrusive thoughts, bad memories, and ment...

Sharing a good experience with another human deepens our enjoyment of the moment... but only if we abide by certain rules. Dr Laurie Santos shows us how we often get 'sharing' wrong and explains how we can all derive more happiness from ice cream, sunsets and a night in front of the TV. For an even deeper dive into the research we talk about in the show visit happinesslab.fm Learn more about your...

Technology allows us to bank, shop and dine without talking to another human, but what toll is this taking on our happiness? The inventor of the ATM and the Talking Heads singer David Byrne join Dr Laurie Santos to explore the ways in which talking to strangers can bring us all genuine joy.   For an even deeper dive into the research we talk about in the show visit https://www.happinesslab.fm/  Le...

Ice skater Michelle Kwan was all set to win Olympic Gold... but in a major sporting upset she came second. Sharing her story with Dr Laurie Santos, Michelle lets us in on a key secret to achieving happiness when you're tempted to feel like a loser.   For an even deeper dive into the research we talk about in the show visit happinesslab.fm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodca...

How can winning the lottery ruin your life - while contracting an incurable disease feel like 'a gift'? Dr Laurie Santos hears about dreams come true and nightmares realised; and talks with Dr Dan Gilbert about why human happiness isn't defined by these major events in the way we all assume. For an even deeper dive into the research we talk about in the show visit happinesslab.fm  Learn more about...

You can make yourself happier today. Your life circumstances and personality aren't nearly as important as you think in deciding how happy you can be. Dr Laurie Santos explains how understanding the latest science will point you in the right direction and make you more satisfied with your life. Are you ready to feel better? For an even deeper dive into the research we talk about in the show visit...

Do you want to be happier? Yale's Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the Ivy League psychology course she teaches, Laurie will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about becoming happier....

Coming September 17 from Pushkin Industries Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.