I explain the science of happiness, including the different types of happiness and how our actions, circumstances and mindset control them. While it is difficult to standardize happiness from one person to the next, I outline a structured framework of what is critical to increasing your innate “natural happiness,” including financial security, purposeful work and relationships, and I explain specific tools to increase internal happiness (so-called “synthetic happiness”). I review how specific types of human connection and attention to our choices (or lack thereof) can increase or undermine our level of happiness. I also discuss the importance of certain types of physical contact, gratitude, financial choices and volunteer contributions that research shows can maximize happiness. And I discuss how factors such as children, pets, physical well-being, substance use, prior traumas and life-phase milestones affect our quest for and depth of happiness. #HubermanLab #Science Thank you to our sponsors Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman Thesis: https://takethesis.com/huberman InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Huberman Lab Premium https://hubermanlab.com/premium Social & Website Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Twitter: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://hubermanlab.com/neural-network Articles Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness: http://bit.ly/3X3k71V A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind: https://bit.ly/3sMP64B Eye contact marks the rise and fall of shared attention in conversation: http://bit.ly/3hy04IF The Influence of Interactions with Dogs on Affect, Anxiety, and Arousal in Children: http://bit.ly/3htjBdh Books Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence: https://amzn.to/3A9S4UY The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity―and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race: https://amzn.to/3E3Und5 Timestamps 00:00:00 Happiness 00:06:27 Tool: Light Exposure Timing & Brightness Timing 00:14:14 Thesis, InsideTracker, Helix Sleep 00:17:51 Imprecise Language for Happiness 00:20:26 Happiness: Neuromodulators & Neurotransmitters 00:26:32 Harvard Happiness Project 00:29:22 Income & Happiness; Social Interactions & Peer Group 00:37:20 Work, Sense of Meaning & Happiness 00:40:13 Toolkit for General Wellbeing 00:43:06 Happiness Across the Lifespan, Does Having Children Make Us Happier? 00:47:33 AG1 (Athletic Greens) 00:50:20 Birthdays & Evaluated Happiness 00:52:45 Smoking, Alcohol & Happiness 00:54:23 Trauma & Happiness, Lottery Winner vs. Paraplegic Accident 01:05:05 Synthesizing Happiness 01:09:18 Natural Happiness & Synthetic Happiness; Music 01:13:45 Tool: Synthesizing Happiness: Effort, Environment & Gratitude 01:24:50 Tool: Pro-Social Spending/Effort, Happiness 01:31:55 Tool: Focus, Wandering Mind & Meditation 01:39:40 Tool: Quality Social Connection 01:41:28 Brief Social Connection, Facial Recognition & Predictability 01:46:33 Deep Social Connection, Presence & Eye Contact 01:54:00 Physical Contact & Social Connection, Allogrooming, Pets 02:03:00 Freedom & Choice; Synthetic Happiness 02:11:57 Happiness Toolkit 02:22:00 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media Huberman Lab is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com