The Science of Happiness

Want to destress your mind? Start with your body. Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a practice where you methodically tense and release your muscles to help unwind. Studies show it can reduce anxiety, help you get better sleep, and lower depression levels.

Dr. Omar Guzman reflects on how a practice to cultivate more respect shaped the way he interacts with his patients.

Rapper Rexx Life Raj shared his deepest pain in his latest album, and discovered it was one big compassion practice for his fans dealing with their own grief.

Humor can help us with stress, anxiety, and feeling more connected to others. But is humor connected to mindfulness? And how can we find more of it?

Just 20 minutes of improv theater can foster creativity and confidence, and help with anxiety, depression, and your ability to tolerate uncertainty.

War veteran and country music singer Sal Gonzalez tries the Taoist practice of Wu Wei to improve his relationship with anger.

We enjoy the world through our five senses, so why don't we do more to heighten them? We explore the techniques and science of the senses with Gretchen Rubin.

Self-compassion reduces our feelings of shame and self-doubt. We explore a practice to help quiet our inner critic with kindness.

How can we feel more moments of joy? We explore the science of joy and how we can cultivate it in our everyday lives, with poet Ross Gay and psychologist Philip Watkins.

A short break does more than just fuel our bodies, it strengthens our minds. Our overworked guest tries the Swedish practice of "fika"—taking short coffee breaks throughout the workday.

Walking can increase our sense of connectedness with the earth and motivation to take climate action, which might be an important aspect of our well-being.

How can we build a sense of hope when the future feels uncertain? Poet Tomás Morín tries a writing practice to make him feel more hopeful and motivated to work toward his goals.

In the first episode in our series Climate, Hope and Science, we explore how embracing uncertainty enables us to move beyond climate anxiety and despair to hope and action, with author and activist Rebecca Solnit.

Is there such a thing as good stress? Our guest learns to welcome her stress by understanding how it can actually help her, plus tips and tricks to not feel too much of it.

Why should you be nice? Our guest explores how small, daily acts of kindness can produce meaningful life changes.

We all overestimate how much we know. Our guest tries a practice in slowing down to ask more questions, and finds it leads to higher quality connections.

She's the world's leading animal behaviorist and an Autism advocacy leader. Guest Temple Grandin shares what kind of support systems led her to success, and we hear about how community, and lack thereof, affects our health and ability to succeed.

How can we feel more connected to our loved ones, even when they're not around? Our guest tries a practice shown to make us feel less lonely and more socially connected.

Why do some songs send chills down your spine or give you goosebumps? We explore the science of how music induces awe—and how that affects our well-being.

When did you last take a moment to really look up at the sky? Shifting our gaze upward is linked to more creativity, capacity to focus—and it's a gateway to awe.

Feeling awe changes your brain. In our first episode in a series about the science of awe, we explore how awe can make you a better friend, partner, and community member.

Chris Sharma is one of the greatest rock climbers of all time, and he's taking on some of the biggest challenges in life: becoming a parent and starting his own business. Chris tries a practice shown to help us craft our own path and purpose in life.

Moving in sync with someone else—even a total stranger—can change how you feel about them, and how you act, without you realizing it.

One way to feel more thankful for things is to imagine life without them. Our guest tries a practice for seeing the bright side, even when you feel down.

There are millions of YouTube videos with people crinkling bubble wrap or whispering about folding laundry. Our guest talks about why autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) makes her, and many others, feel more calm and happy.