Science-​​Based Tools for Increasing Happiness

Defining Happiness

• Happiness is a brain state and a state of mind and body
• It involves similar emotions like joy, gratitude, and meaning
• Operational definitions of happiness can vary, but we will focus on three main aspects:
• Understanding happiness as a brain state and a state of mind and body
• Tools and practices for achieving happiness
• Misconceptions and contradictions in happiness research

Tools and Practices for Achieving Happiness

• Synthetic happiness can be as powerful as happiness achieved through external goals
• Synthetic happiness involves concrete steps defined by psychological research
• The goal is to provide a framework for understanding and pursuing happiness in the short and long term

Misconceptions and Contradictions in Happiness Research

• Common recommendations for happiness include getting great sleep, having strong social connections, and pursuing meaning
• Studies show that the amount of money one makes does not necessarily scale directly with happiness
• There are contradictions in these recommendations, as pursuing work and building a life can sometimes conflict with the conditions needed for happiness
• The podcast aims to provide a framework for understanding and pursuing happiness while acknowledging these contradictions

Social Bonds and Conversations

• Even shallow connections can be built into close bonds that deliver genuine social connection, provided certain conditions are met
• The podcast will discuss what constitutes an excellent social bond or conversation

Light Exposure and Happiness

• Getting regular bright light, ideally sunlight, in your eyes within the first hour of waking has significant effects on mood and focus during the day and quality of sleep at night
• Avoiding bright artificial light exposure to your eyes between 10:00 PM and 4:00 AM can prevent negative impacts on mood and focus
• Adjusting the overall brightness of your artificial lighting throughout the day and evening can help offset some of the negative effects of viewing artificial lights at night
• Make your indoor environment as bright as possible during the day
• Dim your indoor lights from 6:00 PM until bedtime, and even more between 10:00 PM and 4:00 AM
• Alternatively, get some bright sunlight in your eyes right around the time of sunset

By understanding the science of happiness and implementing these tools and practices, you can gain more control over your ability to access happiness and improve your overall well-​​being. Notes:

Sunlight Exposure and Happiness

• Studies show bright light exposure in late afternoon/​​evening improves sleep and mood 
  • 2–5 minutes of sunlight exposure around sunset can adjust retinal neuron sensitivity
  • Reduces detrimental effects of artificial light on dopamine system and sleep
• Optimal light exposure pattern: 
  • Bright light (ideally sunlight) from morning until evening (around 6–7 PM)
  • Dim light in the evening and nighttime hours
  • Sunlight exposure around sunset or late afternoon (without sunglasses, not through windows)
• Proper light exposure can greatly adjust neurochemistry and hormones for better mood, sleep, and happiness

Importance of Sleep and Light Exposure

• Optimizing sleep and proper light exposure crucial for happiness-​​related practices to have full impact
• Timing of light exposure affects hormones and neurochemicals
• Small, cost-​​free steps can make significant improvements in mood and sleep

Thesis Nootropics

• Custom nootropics designed to bring brain and body into ideal state for specific tasks
• High-​​quality ingredients like Phosphatidylserine and Alpha GPC
• Personalized Nootropic starter kit available at takethesis​.com/​h​u​b​e​r​man (10% off with code Huberman)

Inside Tracker

• Personalized nutrition platform analyzing blood and DNA data
• Provides actionable information to improve health based on blood test results
• 20% off any plan at insidetracker​.com/​h​u​b​e​r​man

Helix Sleep

• High-​​quality mattresses and pillows customized for individual sleep needs
• Brief sleep quiz matches users with ideal mattress design
• Up to $200 off and two free pillows at helixsleep​.com/​h​u​b​e​r​man

Defining Happiness

• Language is imprecise in describing emotions and internal states
• No current measurements or neurochemical markers to accurately define happiness

• Acknowledging limitations of language is important for data-​​driven discussions on happiness
  Understanding Neurotransmitters and Neuromodulators

• Neurotransmitters: chemicals released between neurons that allow them to communicate (e.g., glutamate and GABA)

• Neuromodulators: chemicals released by neurons that impact the electrical firing and chemical release of other neurons (e.g., serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, and epinephrine)
• Both neurotransmitters and neuromodulators are present in different ratios and levels in the brain and body
• No single neurotransmitter or neuromodulator is solely responsible for happiness or lack thereof

Dopamine and Happiness

• Lower baseline levels of dopamine are associated with lower self-​​reported levels of happiness
• Examples of extremes: 
  • Parkinson’s disease patients or drug-​​addicted individuals in withdrawal have severely depleted dopamine levels and tend to be more depressed and less happy
  • Individuals in a manic phase of bipolar disorder have very elevated levels of dopamine and may experience extreme happiness or euphoria
• Most people reside in the range between depressed and manic, and levels of dopamine likely correlate with levels of happiness

Serotonin and Depression

• Controversy over whether lower levels of serotonin cause depression or merely correlate with it
• Administering drugs that increase serotonin levels can often help alleviate symptoms of depression
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac and Zoloft are still considered excellent treatments for conditions like OCD

Harvard Happiness Project

• Longitudinal study initiated in 1938 at Harvard University
• Studied happiness in participants over a very long period of time, ranging from months to years and even decades
• Key findings:
  • Total amount of income does not directly relate to happiness levels
  • Money cannot buy happiness, but it can buffer stress by providing resources for goods and services

The Role of Money in Happiness

• Once people reach a certain level of income relative to their cost of living, happiness does not scale with additional income

• Money can help offset stress by providing resources for goods and services (e.g., hiring help for childcare, cleaning, etc.) Living in the Laboratory and Financial Stress

• Graduate student lived in the lab to save money

  • No family at the time, so it was possible
  • Low stress due to investing time and energy into research
• Postdoc period
  • Income increased by 30–40%
  • Cost of living increased significantly, causing stress

Importance of Social Interactions and Peer Group

• Graduate student life in a small town 
  • Low-​​cost social gatherings and activities
  • Easy to participate and connect with others
• Postdoc life in a larger city 
  • Higher cost of living and social activities
  • Peer group influenced the types of activities engaged in
• Happiness affected by the ability to access desired social interactions

Income, Work, and Happiness

• Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buffer stress 
  • Provides options for social interactions and recreation
• Harvard Longitudinal Study on happiness 
  • Happiness does not necessarily scale with income
  • Total amount of time spent working does not determine happiness
• Work is typically how people earn an income 
  • Income can provide access to social connections and stress-​​buffering resources
• Meaningful work can contribute to happiness 
  • Some people find meaning in their work, others see it as just a paycheck
  • Volunteer work can also provide meaning and happiness

Factors that Determine Happiness

• Social connection
• Open thinking and creativity
• Physical health and mobility
• Basic physiological factors 
  • Sufficient deep sleep
  • Quality nutrition
  • Quality social interactions
  • Purposeful work (paid or unpaid)
  • Exercise, relationships with pets, etc.

Balancing Work Demands and Happiness

• Earning a living and working is how most people spend their time
• Need to understand how periods of life with extensive work or family demands can be compatible with happiness

• Focus on accessing happiness through meaningful work and social connections, rather than dismissing the importance of money and work
  Happiness Across the Lifespan

• Happiness tends to change across our lifespan

• Humans are living longer, affecting happiness data
• U‑shaped function of happiness: 
  • People in their 20s report being very happy
  • Happiness decreases as people acquire more responsibilities (marriage, children, work) in their 30s and 40s
  • Happiness increases again in their 50s and 60s as they retire and shed work demands
• This U‑shaped function may need to be re-​​evaluated in modern times due to shifts in life stages (e.g., getting married later, opting not to have children)

Happiness and Parenthood

• People who have children report their overall levels of happiness as lower than those who opt not to have children
• Possible reasons for this finding: 
  • People without children have more income to devote to themselves or their partner
  • People without children may get more sleep or have more time for exercise
• This finding does not necessarily encourage or discourage having children; it is a personal decision

Happiness and Life Stages

• The U‑shaped function of happiness may need to be adjusted for people who opt not to take on additional responsibilities (e.g., not having children or working less)
• An interesting test would be to see if the total load of responsibility correlates with reported happiness

Happiness and Birthdays

• People tend to report feeling lower levels of happiness on their birthday
• Reasons for this finding: 
  • Birthdays serve as a benchmark for comparing oneself to age-​​matched peers
  • Most people are not good at reflecting on where they are in their life arc

Factors Anticorrelated with Happiness

• Chronic smoking and alcohol consumption are strongly anticorrelated with happiness
• Family members and romantic partners of chronic smokers and alcohol users often report lower levels of happiness, especially if they themselves do not engage in these behaviors

Effects of Nicotine, Alcohol, and Trauma on Happiness

Trauma and Happiness

• Trauma can be physical or emotional, fundamentally changing brain and body function 
  • Makes other aspects of living more challenging
  • Can create rumination, obsessive thoughts, or dissociation
• Dr. Paul Conti’s book “Trauma” provides a thorough exploration of trauma and tools for alleviating it
• Some studies suggest that happiness levels after trauma may not be significantly lower than before 
  • However, other data points to major life traumas severely disrupting happiness and well-being

Paraplegic vs. Lottery Winner Happiness

• Professor Dan Gilbert’s talk on the science of happiness 
  • Posed question: Would you rather win the lottery or become paraplegic?
  • Initially claimed self-​​reported happiness levels were the same one year after each event
• Gilbert later corrected himself in a podcast, stating the difference in happiness levels was not as great as expected 
  • Paraplegics do report lower happiness levels than before their injury and compared to lottery winners
  • Lottery winners experience increased happiness, but not as substantial as one might imagine

Reframing Happiness After Trauma

• People who undergo psychological or physical traumas can still be remarkably resilient 
  • However, there is a visible decrease in overall happiness and well-​​being, especially if trauma impacts other major areas of life

• The idea that happiness levels remain the same after winning the lottery or experiencing major trauma is not accurate

  • Happiness levels can vary greatly depending on individual circumstances and life events
    Revising Understandings of Happiness

• Credit to Dan Gilbert and others in the field of psychology for showing we have more control over our happiness levels

• Happiness can be synthesized through certain thoughts and actions
• Synthetic happiness is grounded in the neurobiology of dopamine rewards

Synthetic Happiness vs. Natural Happiness

• Natural happiness: happiness from completing a degree, finding a mate, making a certain income, etc.
• Synthetic happiness: potentially more powerful source of happiness, requires effort and certain environmental conditions

Creating Synthetic Happiness

• Dr. Gillian Mandich’s research on environmental conditions for happiness 
  • Music and visual features can induce states of happiness
  • Requires effort from individuals to synthesize happiness in these environments
• Effort towards happiness can involve happiness inventories, focusing on gratitude, and engaging in meaningful activities

Adjusting Environments for Happiness

• Adjust home and work environments to be more cheerful
• Incorporate positive visual and auditory cues
• Address seasonal affective depression with sunlight or artificial light

The Role of Dopamine and Anticipation

• Anticipation of rewards can lead to greater increases in neurochemicals supporting happiness than the actual acquisition of the reward
• Books on dopamine: “Dopamine Nation” by Dr. Anna Lemke and “The Molecule of More”

The Importance of Choice and Opportunity

• Research by Dr. Dan Gilbert on how freedom and choice can lead to happiness
• Framing choices in a particular way or eliminating choices can increase happiness

The Dynamic Relationship with Our Environment

• Our environment affects our mood, but we also need to make an effort towards happiness

• Engage in activities that bring meaning and joy
  Creating a Positive Environment for Happiness

• Dr. Andrew Huberman’s laboratory environment includes multiple fish tanks

  • Freshwater tanks with discus fish create a pleasant atmosphere
• Music in laboratories can be complicated due to shared spaces 
  • Headphones are often required
  • Dr. Huberman enjoys listening to 40 Hz binaural beats, Glenn Gould, or whale songs while working
• Creating an aesthetically pleasing environment at work and home can be valuable for maintaining an elevated mood 
  • This can be influenced by factors such as windows, fresh air, and personal preferences for decorations

Synthetic Happiness and Environmental Factors

• Synthetic happiness refers to self-​​created or self-​​directed happiness 
  • It can be just as genuine and long-​​lasting as natural happiness
• Environmental factors play a significant role in our ability to synthesize happiness 
  • Social environment, physical environment, and auditory environment can all impact our mood
• Examples of individuals who maintained happiness despite difficult circumstances include Victor Frankel and Nelson Mandela 
  • These cases highlight the power of the human psyche to synthesize happiness in unique situations

Gratitude and Environmental Interactions

• Gratitude is a powerful emotion that can impact happiness and well-being 
  • It does not exist in a vacuum and is influenced by our surroundings
• Receiving gratitude, observing gratitude, and giving gratitude can all evoke positive emotions and neurochemical changes 
  • The impact is greater when there is a genuine connection between the giver and receiver
• Happiness and gratitude are both influenced by context and interactions with our environment

Spending Money on Others and Happiness

• A 2008 study by Elizabeth Dunn and colleagues found that spending money on others promotes happiness 
  • Income has a weak effect on happiness within nations, particularly once basic needs are met
• The relationship between money and happiness is complex and varies between individuals 
  • Some people with more money are happier, while others with less money are also happy
  • Conversely, there are people with more money who are unhappy and those with less money who are unhappy as well

• The way one acquires their money may impact whether or not it increases their happiness

  • This topic will be explored further later in the discussion
    Prosocial Spending and Happiness

• Prosocial spending: giving a portion of income to others for causes or things deemed important

  • Can be for various causes: hunger, medical care, environment, animal wellness, etc.
  • Central theme: giving increases sense of well-​​being for both giver and receiver
• Study found higher prosocial spending associated with significantly greater happiness 
  • Effects of income and prosocial spending were independent and similar in magnitude
  • Personal spending remained unrelated to happiness
• Employees who devoted more of their bonuses to prosocial spending experienced greater happiness 
  • Manner of spending bonus was a more important predictor of happiness than the size of the bonus
• Giving resources (money, effort, time) is immensely beneficial for increasing happiness levels 
  • Degree of increase in happiness is proportional to the extent the receiver needed and registered the help

Focus and Happiness

• Study: “A Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind” by Killingsworth and Gilbert 
  • Assessed happiness levels of 2250 adult subjects during various activities
  • Found that regardless of activity, tendency for mind to wander predicted lower levels of happiness
  • Focusing on activity led to higher happiness levels, even if activity was not enjoyable
• Being present and focused on what we’re doing, regardless of the activity, increases happiness 
  • Practices like meditation can enhance focus and happiness levels
• Wendy Suzuki’s lab at NYU found that brief meditation (13 minutes) can enhance focus, mood, sleep, and cognitive performance

• Collaboration between Dr. David Spiegel and Stanford Department of Psychiatry found that even briefer meditations (5 minutes) can have positive effects on focus and happiness

  • These brief meditations are focusing and refocusing exercises, directing perception inward or outward
    Meditation and Focus-​​Based Training

• Meditation can improve focus and rewiring of brain circuits

• Often thought of as mindfulness exercise, but better viewed as perceptual or focus-​​based training
• Even 5 minutes a day can greatly increase focus and overall happiness

Importance of Social Connection

• Quality social connection is a powerful factor in increasing happiness
• Can include romantic connections, friendships, coworker relationships, or even daily superficial interactions
• Research shows that sharing trivial day-​​to-​​day experiences can lead to feelings of connection

Building Social Connection

• Opportunities for quality social connection are not limited to deep, meaningful conversations or shared experiences
• Brief interactions with familiar faces can create a sense of social bond and predictability
• Seeing faces, especially in the morning and late afternoon, has a positive impact on emotional well-being

Fusiform Face Gyrus and Emotional Well-Being

• Brain area dedicated to processing faces, discovered by Nancy Kanwisher at MIT
• Linked to areas of the brain associated with anxiety, fear, and well-being
• Seeing friendly faces, even without exchanging words, can create a sense of social bond

Two Forms of Social Connection

1. Presence and eye contact
2. Direct eye contact during conversation can enhance the sense of connection
3. Ongoing eye contact is not necessary; mutual eye contact followed by looking away is sufficient
4. Physical contact
5. Not discussed in detail in the podcast transcript

Eye Contact in Conversation

• Recent study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021) titled “Eye Contact Marks the Rise and Fall of Shared Attention in Conversation”
• Contradicts the idea that ongoing eye contact is necessary for connection

• Mutual eye contact followed by looking away is sufficient for feeling connected
  Eye Contact and Attention in Conversations

• High fidelity and temporal precision study on eye contact and attention

• Good conversation involves shifts in and out of shared states with eye contact
• Deep social connection doesn’t require constant eye contact
• Focus ramps up and breaks, then reengages in conversations
• Closing eyes while listening can help focus and memory

Importance of Faces and Eye Contact in Social Connection

• Faces are crucial for quality social connections
• Eye contact builds up and breaks across interactions
• Physical contact also plays a role in social connection

Pets and Happiness

• Animal-​​assisted activities (AAAs) can increase happiness and well-being
• Brief interactions with dogs can reduce stress and increase happiness
• Pets can provide a sense of social connection and support

Allogrooming and Social Connection

• Allogrooming: non-​​sexual touch observed in mammals, including primates
• Examples: hair brushing, manicures, massages, grooming
• Stimulates Ctactile fibers in the skin, creating a feeling of well-being
• Can be a professional or personal relationship context
• Allogrooming can enhance social connection and happiness

Personal Experience with Dogs

• Walking dogs for free to experience the happiness and connection they provide
• Learning about different dog breeds and temperaments

• Bulldogs enjoy stopping and being petted, not walking
  Oxytocin and Allogrooming

• Oxytocin: hormone neurotransmitter that evokes feelings of bonding

  • Often associated with parent-​​child or romantic couple bonds
• Allogrooming: consensual, context-​​appropriate touch 
  • Increases oxytocin levels, promoting feelings of well-​​being and happiness
  • Nonverbal form of bonding between individuals
• Human-​​animal allogrooming: stroking or brushing pets 
  • Both pet and human experience increased oxytocin levels and bonding

Social Connections and Happiness

• Harvard Longitudinal Study and other studies emphasize the importance of quality social connections for happiness 
  • Deep social connections often involve physical contact, rooted in evolutionary biology
  • Allogrooming is a nonverbal, non-​​eye contact form of social connection

Choice and Happiness

• Dan Gilbert’s research explores the relationship between freedom of choice and happiness 
  • Findings: when people are forced to stick to a choice, they tend to be happier with that choice than if they maintain the option to change their mind
  • Having many choices does not lead to less happiness, but once a choice is made, limiting other options increases satisfaction
  • Leaving doors open or options available diminishes satisfaction

Neuroscience of Choice and Happiness

• Prefrontal cortex: brain area involved in decision making, evaluating options, and creating meaning 
  • Metabolically demanding, leading to ego depletion
• Reward circuitry of the brain (e.g., dopamine) is impacted by choices and focus 
  • Focusing on a choice and limiting other options increases neurochemical reward and happiness
  • Considering alternative options divides attention and reduces reward associated with the chosen option

Synthetic and Natural Happiness

• Limiting choices after making a decision is important for synthetic happiness

  • Focusing on chosen options and investing in them as good or great choices can also contribute to natural happiness
  • Constantly evaluating decisions after making them prevents extracting feelings of happiness associated with the choice
    Ketamine in Mental Health

• Ketamine has gained attention for its potential use in mental health treatment

  • Particularly for depression, anxiety, and PTSD
  • Rapid-​​acting effects, unlike traditional antidepressants that take weeks to work
• Clinical trials and research studies show promising results 
  • Some patients experience relief within hours of ketamine administration
  • Effects can last for days or even weeks

Ketamine as a Novel Antidepressant

• Traditional antidepressants work on serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine neurotransmitter systems 
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-​​norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
• Ketamine’s mechanism of action is different, working on the NMDA receptor and glutamate system 
  • This novel approach may help patients who do not respond to traditional antidepressants

Ketamine Administration and Side Effects

• Ketamine is typically administered intravenously (IV) in a controlled clinical setting 
  • Low doses used for mental health treatment, compared to anesthesia
• Side effects can include dizziness, blurred vision, and dissociative experiences 
  • These effects are generally short-​​lived and subside after the infusion
• Long-​​term safety and efficacy of ketamine for mental health treatment are still being studied

Ketamine’s Future in Mental Health Treatment

• Ongoing research and clinical trials aim to better understand ketamine’s potential in mental health treatment 
  • Determining optimal dosing, frequency, and duration of treatment
  • Investigating the use of ketamine in combination with other therapies
• FDA approval of esketamine, a nasal spray version of ketamine, for treatment-​​resistant depression 
  • This approval marks a significant step forward in recognizing ketamine’s potential in mental health treatment

Conclusion

• Ketamine’s unique mechanism of action and rapid-​​acting effects make it a promising option for mental health treatment 
  • Particularly for those who do not respond to traditional antidepressants
• Continued research and clinical trials will help to further establish ketamine’s role in mental health treatment and address any potential concerns regarding its long-​​term safety and efficacy