The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Playlist by The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie SantosYou might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of h…Follow the podcast:
256 clip(s) in playlist
Why More Stuff Doesn’t Make You Happier
Buying something new can trigger a rush of dopamine, leading to a momentary boost in happiness. But the rush is fleeting, and over time, our possessions can end up weighing us down more than they lift us up. As part of our series on spring cleaning your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie explores why material …
26:15
Your Environment Affects Your Happiness More Than You Think with Dr. Leidy Klotz
Our surroundings affect our happiness in ways we often don’t notice. The layout of a room, the amount of clutter in our home, and even small changes to lighting can shape our mood, focus, and relationships. As The Happiness Lab continues its spring cleaning series, Dr. Laurie sits down with Univer…
37:40
How to Break Up with Your Bad Habits
Breaking bad habits often feels like a test of willpower. We tell ourselves we’ll stop scrolling, eat better, or exercise more — and then fall right back into the same routines. So why is lasting change so hard? As part of our spring cleaning series, we’re revisiting a powerful episode from The Ha…
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Why It Hurts to Hold a Grudge — and How to Let Go with Dr. Fred Luskin
Forgiveness might sound simple, but it's hard to let go of the anger that comes with being deeply hurt. Grudges, bitterness, and frustration with life’s unfairness can quietly build up over time and take a real toll on our mental and physical health. As The Happiness Lab kicks off a new season on …
38:55
Why You're Still Using Social Media (Even If You Want to Stop) with Dr. Cass Sunstein
Why is social media so hard to quit? We waste hours scrolling, feel worse when we log off, and still find ourselves going back for more. Dr. Laurie sits down with Dr. Cass Sunstein, co-author of (00:00:57) Nudge, to explore a new concept from the 2026 World Happiness Report: the “product trap.” To…
32:50
What is Social Media Doing to Kids? with Dr. Jean Twenge
Over the past decade, rates of depression and loneliness have surged among young people. Many researchers point to one major change: the rise of smartphones and social media. But what does the data actually show? Psychologist Jean Twenge has spent years studying how technology shapes adolescent ha…
34:46
How to Stop Work From Taking Over Your Life
Work doesn’t end when the workday does. Even after we close our laptops, our minds keep replaying awkward meetings, looming deadlines, and unfinished to-do lists. Over time, that “always on” mentality can quietly hijack our relationships, our health, and our happiness. Dr. Laurie sits down with ps…
43:18
Inside the Love Lab with Drs. John & Julie Gottman (Part 2)
In Part 2 of Dr. Laurie’s conversation with researchers Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman, we learn how couples can raise complaints without damaging their relationship — and how to respond constructively when a partner voices a concern. Their research shows that fighting doesn’t have…
35:43
Inside the Love Lab with Drs. John & Julie Gottman (Part 1)
In this classic episode, Dr. Laurie speaks with two of the world’s most influential relationship scientists, Drs. John Gottman and Julie Schwartz Gottman. In their renowned “Love Lab,” the married researchers have studied thousands of couples, identifying the subtle interaction patterns that predi…
47:04
Why Algorithms Can’t Predict Your Love Life with Dr. Paul Eastwick
Modern dating can feel like a marketplace. We’re told we all have a “mate value,” that some people are 9s and 10s, and that the laws of evolution determine who gets chosen — and who gets rejected. But what if we’ve misunderstood what evolutionary science actually says about love? Dr. Laurie sits d…
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