The Science of Happiness

Latest Episodes:

How Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

Simple actions like consciously placing a hand on your heart or hugging yourself can lower your cortisol levels, heart rate, and help you feel less stressed. Our guest tries a practice in self-soothing touch.

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2zbykwh6

Episode summary:

While reading this, you might be fiddling with your fingers or have a hand resting on your face -– these are examples of self-touch. This week, we are examining the benefits of offering ourselves soothing touches with comedian Calvin Cato. Calvin leads a busy, stressful life. He tried the self-soothing touch practice as a way to better connect with himself. He found that physically caring for himself allowed him to reground his emotions and regulate his stress. To his surprise, the physical sensations also triggered fond childhood memories with his father. Later, we hear from self-compassion and mindfulness expert Aljoscha Dreisoerner about why we evolved to crave touch and how self-touch can be as effective as getting a hug from someone else.

Practice:

Find a comfortable position to begin the practice. What works for one person might not work for another. Here are some options you can choose from:

Place one or both hands on your heart or stomach.
Placing your right hand on your heart and the left on your belly while focusing on the rising and falling of the breath.
Stroke your arms or cheeks.
Place your right hand under your left arm, by the side of the heart. Place your left hand on the top of your right arm.

Try the practice you choose for at least twenty seconds. While doing the practice, focus on taking a few deep breaths, drawing attention to the pressure and warmth of your hands.
Repeat as many times as you would like.

Today’s guests:

Calvin Cato is a comedian and writer based in New York City.

Learn more about Calvin: https://tinyurl.com/3hcmcf8y

Read Calvin’s personal essay in Queendom: https://tinyurl.com/42u5h23w

Follow Calvin on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/2p5pkmkb

Follow Calvin on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/z5h47asz

Aljoscha Dreisoerner is a Post Doctorate at The University of Vienna interested in self-compassion and mindfulness.

Learn about Aljoscha’s work: https://tinyurl.com/bdfa48n7

Follow Aljoscha on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/94txhhrj

Follow Aljoscha on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/yc4wbmfh

Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Why Physical Touch Matters for Your Well-Being: https://tinyurl.com/m2ea524m

Hands On Research: The Science of Touch: https://tinyurl.com/bdfbk36d

Four Ways Hugs Are Good for Your Health: https://tinyurl.com/3x39apr8

How Touch Shapes Emotion: https://tinyurl.com/3ukuut3b

More Resources on self soothing touch:

CBC - Self-soothing strategies to help break a chain of anxious thoughts quickly: https://tinyurl.com/3ksh2u6e

TED - Bonus: Self-soothing exercises with Dr. Kristin Neff: https://tinyurl.com/mvrwa596

Business Insider - It's possible to be literally starved for touch — here are the symptoms of the condition: https://tinyurl.com/bdc42rh7

Have you tried giving yourself a hug recently? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness!

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5 Minutes of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, With Jo Qina'au Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

When we mindfully tense and then release our muscles, our bodies are telling our brains to relax. Try this practice that's proven to help with depression, anxiety, and stress.

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/477t6uhv

How to Do This Practice:

Find a comfortable space to complete this practice, ideally lying down.
Soften your gaze and turn your attention towards your feet. When inhaling, tense your feet as much as you can for no more than 10 seconds. Then exhale and release your feet and toes, noticing the feelings of relaxation as you untense.
Repeat this process of tensing and releasing different parts of your body, working upwards from your legs to your torso, all the way to your upper body, arms and face. Remember to inhale when you are tensing your body, and exhale when you release.

Today’s Happiness Break host:

Jo Qina’au is meditation guide and clinical psychology fellow from Harvard University.

Learn more about Jo Qina’au’s work: https://tinyurl.com/bdfyw3ar

Follow Jo on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/yc846waw

More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

How to Use Your Body to Relax Your Mind (The Science of Happiness Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/mueeubr7

Five Ways Mindfulness Meditation Is Good for Your Health: https://tinyurl.com/3f79nsav

Why You Should Take a Relaxing Lunch Break: https://tinyurl.com/2p8axdba

Four Ways to Calm Your Mind in Stressful Times: https://tinyurl.com/6apdf52p

We love hearing from you! What was your experience like with this progressive muscle relaxation exercise? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus

Help us share Happiness Break! Rate us and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus

We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.

How To Use Your Body to Relax your Mind Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

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 acutely aware of how stress feels in her body. For our show, Nelufar tried Progressive Muscle Relaxation: But what the practice’s title doesn’t mention is that you methodically tense your muscles, before releasing them.. At first, it triggered feelings of distress for her. But after recently being diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, Nelufar was able to reframe her relationship to the exercise. By separating the sensation of tensing from stress, she completed the practice feeling empowered and euphoric. Later, we hear from psychologist Loren Toussaint about the importance of intentionally engaging our body’s relaxation response. We also learn how Progressive Muscle Relaxation compares to other well-known relaxation techniques, like deep breathing and visualization.

Practice:

Listen to next week’s Happiness Break on October 5th for a short guided version of this practice.

Try following these steps for Progressive Muscle Relaxation from Kaiser Permanente: https://tinyurl.com/4k668ehv

Today’s guests:

Nelufar Hedayat is an award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker who has reported on numerous conflict zones. Her new podcast Ritually explores the role of wellness and spiritual practices in contemporary society.

Listen to Ritually: https://tinyurl.com/mtzvf2kp

Follow Nelufar on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/42ytnytw

Follow Nelufar on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/y6abuvtp

Follow Nelufar on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/mr2weemp

Loren Toussaint is a professor of psychology at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

Learn more about Loren and his work: https://tinyurl.com/4ea2jx9x

Follow Loren on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/mry2yb4s

Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Four Ways to Calm Your Mind in Stressful Times: https://tinyurl.com/6apdf52p

How Resting More Can Boost Your Productivity: https://tinyurl.com/23h6rnvw

How a Body Scan Can Help With Strong Emotions: https://tinyurl.com/59tyjbhr

How Tuning In to Your Body Can Make You More Resilient: https://tinyurl.com/y2jhfmpe

Five Ways Mindfulness Meditation Is Good for Your Health: https://tinyurl.com/3f79nsav

More Resources for A Good Night’s Sleep

University of Toledo- Progressive Muscle Relaxation: https://tinyurl.com/2kadu7va

Mayo Clinic - Relaxation techniques: Try these steps to reduce stress: https://tinyurl.com/2tfrnnew

BBC - Can’t stop your brain racing at 3am? Try these suggestions from a GP: https://tinyurl.com/yvz45x5w

PTSD UK - How Progressive Muscle Relaxation can help people with PTSD: https://tinyurl.com/4b89auzw

Tell us about your experience with the progressive muscle relaxation practice! Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness!

Rate us on Spotify and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/ckd6yb46

Happiness Break: A Meditation for Groundedness, With Diana Parra (English & Spanish) Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

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 the air moves from your chest out through your nose.
Notice how the bottoms of your feet are connected to the earth, and how your body is supported and sustained by the earth beneath you.
If any distractions arise, refocus your attention on your breathing and the points of contact between your body and the surface beneath you.
Complete this practice by expressing a sense of gratitude for the earth and our ability to reground ourselves within it.

Today’s Happiness Break host:

Diana Parra is professor at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. She is also a registered mindfulness and yoga teacher who focuses on sharing these practices with the Latino immigrant community in St Louis.

Learn more about Diana Parra’s work: https://tinyurl.com/4acc7nsv

More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Five Ways Mindfulness Meditation Is Good for Your Health: https://tinyurl.com/3f79nsav

Can Mindfulness Help When You’re Depressed? https://tinyurl.com/yc7heja3

Does Mindfulness Make You More Compassionate? https://tinyurl.com/4beawh8b

How to Practice Mindfulness Throughout Your Work Day: https://tinyurl.com/y8ftbcrz

How Mindfulness Improves Sleep: https://tinyurl.com/2tunpkjb

We love hearing from you! Did this practice help you feel more grounded? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus

Help us share Happiness Break! Rate us and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus

Happiness Break: Una meditación para enraizar, con Diana Parra (inglés y español) Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

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.

Making Difficult Interactions More Respectful Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

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 Respect. By contemplating his own motivations and biases, practicing deep listening and prioritizing relationship-building, Omar was able to develop a meaningful connection with a patient and was reminded of why he decided to pursue medicine. Later, we hear from Diane Johnson, the creator of this practice, to learn more about the multifaceted aspects of respect, and how developing empathic relationships can shape and strengthen our sense of community.

Practice:

Acknowledge the conflict and affirm your commitment to understanding and moving forward.
Ensure that you are staying honest and true to yourself.
Hear new perspectives by practicing deep listening.
Recognize the importance of emphatically interacting with others.
Let go of any pretenses or sense of ego by practicing humility.
Notice how these actions affect your internal motivations.
Practice building relationships and connections with others.

Today’s guests:

Omar Guzman is an ER doctor in Visalia, California.

Diane Johnson has a PhD in Organizational Behavior and is a consultant focused on leadership, change management and organizational development. She is the creator of the 7 Elements of Respect.

Learn more about Diane and her work: https://www.mmapeu.com/

Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Four Ways to Help Your Coworkers Feel Respected: https://tinyurl.com/2p8uvhnb
How Do We Ensure That Students of Color Feel Respected?: https://tinyurl.com/5n8534ek

What Middle Schoolers Can Teach Us About Respect: https://tinyurl.com/4ua4va6s

Five Ways to Have More Constructive Disagreements: https://tinyurl.com/tt26uy84

More Resources on Cultivating Respect:

MIT - Creating a Culture of Respect: https://tinyurl.com/44kzr95s

NYT - How to Be More Empathetic: https://tinyurl.com/nf675dkk

BBC - Deep Listening: Finding common ground with opponents: https://tinyurl.com/yjby4zjx

How do you cultivate respect in your life? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness!

Rate us on Spotify and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/mszb2wfx

This episode was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, as part of our project on "Expanding Awareness of the Science of Intellectual Humility." To learn more, go to https://tinyurl.com/2dj6hw29

Happiness Break: A Meditation to Inspire a Sense of Purpose Sep 07, 2023

Show notes

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 inspired you.
Notice the feelings that arise in your body when you reflect on that person’s moral beauty.
Reflect on why that aspect of moral beauty is so significant and meaningful to you.
Think of how you can strive to incorporate it into your own life.

Today’s Happiness Break host:

Dacher Keltner is the host of the Greater Good Science Center’s award-winning podcast, The Science of Happiness and is a co-instructor of the GGSC’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Check out Dacher’s most recent book, *Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life: *<https://tinyurl.com/4j4hcvyt\](https://tinyurl.com/4j4hcvyt)

More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

How to Find Your Purpose in Life: https://tinyurl.com/28mjx65c

Living with a Purpose Changes Everything: https://tinyurl.com/yeyv2xhu

Seven Ways to Find Your Purpose in Life: https://tinyurl.com/4ekymbet

Five Ways to Foster Purpose in Adolescents: https://tinyurl.com/25e5bvv3

How Purpose Changes Across Your Lifetime: https://tinyurl.com/yhek7ktr

We love hearing from you! Who inspires you? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus

Help us share Happiness Break! Rate us and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus

Why Compassion Requires Vulnerability Aug 31, 2023

Show notes

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 were struggling with grief of their own. For our show, Raj tried a meditation to cultivate more compassion, and discovered that his life was full of compassion practices – like connecting with his fans who were suffering. We also hear from researcher Hooria Jazaieri about the relationship between vulnerability and compassion, why compassion is so critical to our relationships, and the many ways we can cultivate more of it.

Practice:

Find a comfortable place and take a few moments to focus on your breath.
Think of a loved one. Allow the feelings of warmth and love to fill your heart. Wish those individuals well.
Think of a time when your loved one was suffering. Notice how your sensations shift. Sincerely wish that they may be free of suffering.
You can try this practice with different types of people in your life, including loved ones, friends, and even those you don’t get along with.

Learn more about the Compassion Meditation practice at Greater Good In Action:

https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/compassion_meditation

Today’s guests:

Rexx Life Raj is a rapper and musician from the Bay area.

Listen to his latest album, The Blue Hour: https://tinyurl.com/3rpfv9r9

Listen to Raj Life Raj’s Music: https://www.rexxliferaj.com/

Follow Raj on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RexxLifeRaj

Follow Raj on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rexxliferaj/

Hooria Jazaieri is an Assistant Professor at Santa Clara University. Her research focuses on personal reputation and emotions like compassion and awe.

Learn more about Hooria and her work: https://tinyurl.com/2ndpkke9

Follow Hooria on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HooriaJazaieri

Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Can Compassion Change the World: https://tinyurl.com/3ac2meyc

Does Mindfulness Make You More Compassionate? https://tinyurl.com/4beawh8b

When Empathy Hurts, Compassion Can Heal: https://tinyurl.com/yc4pyjcv

Compassionate Mind, Healthy Body: https://tinyurl.com/mruc6m95

Do Your Struggles Expand Your Compassion for Others? https://tinyurl.com/yc4pyjcv

More Resources on Compassion:

The Atlantic - What’s Missing From Empathy: https://tinyurl.com/4b6s2v3y

TED - Compassion and the true meaning of empathy: https://tinyurl.com/2kkhf3p5

Washington Post - Compassion fatigue hits not only professional caregivers. Other people get it, too: https://tinyurl.com/5325ewjt

Harvard - Connect with Empathy, But Lead with Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/5n8amcuh

What has your experience been like practicing compassion for others? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness!

Rate us on Spotify and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/4uyr2w35

Episode image based on photo by Marco Alexander

Happiness Break: Awe in Impermanence Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

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 to Do This Practice:

Find a comfortable place. Focus on taking a few deep breaths, relaxing your body from head to toe.
Think of an older relative who you are close to. Picture them in your mind.
Imagine how they entered the world years ago as a newborn.
Continue to imagine this individual growing up — through adolescence into adulthood, developing the qualities that you admire.
Now imagine them later in life, into seniority.
Reflect on the progression of the individual’s life, from the beginning to the final stages in this natural progression of the life cycle for humans.
Recognize that they'll pass or maybe they have passed, and that's part of this cycle
Take note of how you feel.

Today’s Happiness Break host:

Check out Dacher’s most recent book, *Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life: *<https://tinyurl.com/4j4hcvyt\](https://tinyurl.com/4j4hcvyt)

More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

What I Learned About Resilience in the Midst of Grief: https://tinyurl.com/2uw7uvxd

How to Face Grief in Yourself and Others: https://tinyurl.com/yckknp9r

Death and Gratitude: https://tinyurl.com/mwcn752j

How to Bring More Meaning to Dying: [https://tinyurl.com/vnbkwf52>\
Learning to Live in a World Without a Loved One: https://tinyurl.com/2v4avfvv

How do you find awe in impermanence? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus

Help us share Happiness Break! Rate us and copy and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/6s39rzus

Why Humor Matters for Happiness Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

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. For our show, Josh wrote down three funny things he experienced every day for a week. He noticed that funny moments often arise from a series of interconnected events, and that they aren’t always something we can prepare for. Instead, it’s the unexpected moments that often lead to a comedic sense of joy. Later, we hear from psychologist Sonja Heintz about the connection between various types of humor and mindfulness, and how engaging in mindful practices can spur more positive and benevolent types of humor.

Practice:

Take 10 minutes a day for at least a week to write down 3 of the funniest moments you experienced throughout the day.
Write down why you think these funny moments happened.
Remember to write down as much detail about the moment as possible. These funny moments do not have to be of major importance.

Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action:

https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/three_funny_things

Today’s guests:

Josh Johnson is an Emmy-nominated comedian and writer for The Daily Show. This interview was recorded before the Writer’s Guild and Screen Actors’ Guild strikes began.

Learn more about Josh Johnson: https://www.joshjohnsoncomedy.com/

Follow Josh on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/33f4nkv2

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/3txe78kf

Sonja Heintz is a psychologist at the University of Plymouth who specializes in positive psychology.

Learn more about Sonja and her work: https://tinyurl.com/mt4vs6cx

Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Why Laughing Is Good for You (The Science of Happiness Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/4z3snujy

How Laughter Brings Us Together: https://tinyurl.com/2cnapztk

Four Funny Ways Laughter Is Good for You: https://tinyurl.com/5x6d9jp3

How a Little Humor Can Improve Your Work Life: https://tinyurl.com/bdzz6thx

More Resources on Humor:

BBC - How comedy makes us better people: https://tinyurl.com/ytywxb94

Harvard - Humor, Laughter, and Those Aha Moments: https://tinyurl.com/ujjmzc75

Ted - The Superpower of Humour: https://tinyurl.com/53chw3nz

When Everything Is Heavy, a Touch of Humor Can Help: https://tinyurl.com/s6ydmyu4

What are three funny things that happened in your life recently? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness!

Rate us on Spotify and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/4uyr2w35

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