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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/y6stdy3b Episode summary : As a war correspondent and an Afghani refugee, Nelufar Hedayat is acu...

Take a moment to ground yourself with this meditation that helps bring awareness to the relationship between ourselves and the earth beneath us. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2p8vub46 (English) También tenemos esta meditación en Español. How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable position to start the practice, ensuring that your feet feel grounded. Focus on your breath, and how...

Tómate un momento para conectarte con esta meditación que ayuda a tomar conciencia de la relación entre nosotros y la tierra. Enlace a la transcripción: https://tinyurl.com/umu6wx33 We also have this meditation in English — It's on our podcast feed wherever you're listening right now.

Dr. Omar Guzman reflects on how a practice to cultivate more respect shaped the way he interacts with his patients.   Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2fwen962 Episode Summary: As an ER doctor in an overworked healthcare system, Omar Guzman isn’t always able to build the relationships with patients the way he’d like to. For our show, Omar tried a practice called the 7 Elements of Re...

Take a few minutes to reflect on someone who inspires you, and how you can embody the values you admire in them. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4x2whvzb How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable place to do this practice and settle into a relaxed pattern of breath. Think of someone who’s character has moved and inspired you. Focus on a specific time when they did something that...

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4xzncasd Episode summary : After losing both of his parents in the same year, Rapper Rexx Life Raj channeled his grief into his latest album. On tour, he found himself communing with fans who w...

Take a few minutes to develop your sense of awe for the circle of life in this meditation with Dacher Keltner. LINK TO EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: https://tinyurl.com/2tv3whj2 All sentient beings are impermanent, and out of our reflections on this we find appreciation. We find poignancy. A little sadness, but also out of that sadness and poignancy, a sense of deep appreciation for the people we love. How...

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? Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2p9dkds7 Episode summary : For Emmy- nominated comedian Josh Johnson, humor has always come naturally. But over time, Josh has found it difficult to  reignite his passion for comedy outside of his career....

Relieve stress, boost self-esteem, and increase focus through a simple body music practice. And do it with a friend to feel more compassion and a hit of oxytocin. Link to episode transcript:   https://tinyurl.com/yc8aer74 How to Do This Practice: Try using these movements to create various rhythmic combinations with your body: One: Clap your hands, slightly cupping with each clapping instead of hi...

Just 20 minutes of improv theater can foster creativity and confidence, and help with anxiety, depression, and your ability to tolerate uncertainty. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4t9rjj58 Episode summary : Deema Altaher was never one for the spotlight. So when her husband signed them up for improv classes, she had no idea what to expect. And yet after one class, Deema was hooked....

Mindful breathing exercises are a simple, effective, and fast way to shift our mindset and improve physical and mental well-being when practiced regularly. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mpt4rr5x How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable position to start the practice, maintain a good posture and close your eyes.  Take a deep breath in for a count of four. Hold that breath, feel...

War veteran and country music singer Sal Gonzalez tries the Taoist practice of Wu Wei to improve his relationship with anger. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yavaw23d Episode summary : For Iraq war veteran Sal Gonzalez, relying on anger had become second nature — and while this emotion was beneficial for him on the battlefield, Sal found it difficult to manage his anger when readju...

Moving meditations can help reduce stress and boost self-awareness. Improve your ability to sense your body in space with this 7-minute proprioception meditation. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ynkdywbn How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable place where you can move your arms freely. This practice can be completed sitting or standing. If you choose to stand, avoid locking you...

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4s3wv9mv Episode summary : When Gretchen Rubin found out she was at greater risk of losing her eyesight, she started to recognize what she had been taking for granted and her appreciation for s...

Treating yourself with kindness reduces anxiety and improves coping skills. Spring Washam encourages us to be more self-compassionate through a short guided meditation. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mrx8t9st How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable position and begin to focus on your breath. This is a practice to use when you are struggling in some way. Allow your attention to...

Self-compassion reduces our feelings of shame and self-doubt. We explore a practice to help quiet our inner critic with kindness. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ytek6jxk Episode summary : What does your inner critic sound like? For René Brooks, it’s the adults who misunderstood her ADHD symptoms as a child, before she was diagnosed later in life. For our show, René tried a self-co...

Cultivate a sense of compassion for yourself and others by trying a meditation rooted in loving kindness, called "Metta." Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/jrkewjs8 How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable place to start this meditation. Start taking deep breaths, focusing your attention on what you feel around your heart and chest. Turn your attention to someone who immediately b...

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mu89jbyu Episode summary : Are joy and happiness the same thing? Can you feel joy even in moments of sorrow? This week, we’ve set out to explore the unique qualities of joy, why it's...

When we feel cared for, our cortisol levels drop, we feel safe, and we handle stress better. Dacher leads a meditation to help us focus on the people who make us feel supported. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/bdezwwyd How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable position to start the practice. Focus on taking deep breaths. Shift your attention to your body, relaxing your jaw, shoul...

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 work day. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yuj69daf Episode summary : In the United States, we’re taught that it’s a good thing to work more, and work harder. But research shows that overworking isn’t just...

Indigenous scholar Yuria Celidwen guides us in a meditation to strengthen our sense of belonging and connection to the earth. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/nhjmf57s This Happiness Break is part of our special series, Climate, Hope & Science. In it, we explore the intersection of environmental well-being and our own well-being, where taking care of ourselves and the planet are...

Walking can increase our sense of connectedness with the earth and motivation to take climate action, which might be an important aspect of your well-being. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mu6yru2p This is the third and final episode of our special series, Climate, Hope & Science. We explore the intersection of environmental well-being and our own well-being, where taking care...

Take ten minutes to renew your connection to the earth through this guided meditation on our interdependence with the ecosystem. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mt473u79 How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable place to do this practice, relax into your body. Wherever you are, start to acknowledge your surroundings, noticing the living and inanimate things around you. Focus your...

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/9d73zav8 This is the second episode of our special series, Climate, Hope & Science. We explore the intersection of environmental well-being and our own well-being, where...

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. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/y6yr2kz4 What does it take to be aware of what’s really happening, without falling into despair? How do we find hope? Do small, individua...