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Artwork for The Happiness Lab

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

Pushkin Industries
Happiness
Mental Health
Psychology
Self-Compassion
Social Connection
Relationships
Perfectionism
Social Media
Mindfulness
Climate Change
Coping Strategies
Anxiety
Stress Management
Positive Psychology
Conflict Resolution
Stress
Gratitude
Hope
Social Connections
Love

You 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 happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale -- the most popular class in the university’s 300-... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes284Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Health & FitnessSociety & Culture

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Artwork for The Happiness Lab

Latest Episodes

Negative emotions like sadness, anger, guilt, and anxiety can feel overwhelming. But what if those uncomfortable feelings aren’t problems to fix, but signals worth listening to?

As part of our series on how to spring clean your wellbeing, Dr. Lauri... more

Our beliefs shape more than we realize. They influence what we notice, how we respond to setbacks, how connected we feel to others, and whether we take action to improve our lives.

As part of our series on how to spring clean your wellbeing, Dr. L... more

YouTube

Struggling to find free time? Feeling constantly busy or burned out? This episode is for you. Dr. Laurie explores the science behind “time famine,” the nagging sense that there’s never enough time in the day.

Writer Tom Hodgkinson, author of How to... more

We hear a lot about how screens affect our mental health, but time spent on computers and smartphones is having just as much of an impact on our physical health — from brain fog and weakened core muscles to changes in our posture, our sleep, and even... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Tom Hodgkinson
Author of How to Be Idle and interviewee on time management and idling
Author, How to Be Idle
Episode: The Art of Doing Nothing
Ashley Whillans
Harvard Business School professor researching time and happiness
Harvard Business School
Episode: The Art of Doing Nothing
Manoush Zomorodi
Journalist, host of NPR's TED Radio Hour
NPR / TED Radio Hour
Episode: What Screen Time Is Really Doing to Your Body with Manoush Zomorodi
Cait Flanders
Author and blogger who decluttered and rebuilt her life
Author of The Year of Less
Episode: Why More Stuff Doesn’t Make You Happier
Amit Kumar
Assistant Professor of Marketing and Psychology
University of Texas at Austin
Episode: Why More Stuff Doesn’t Make You Happier
Leidy Klotz
University of Virginia professor and author
University of Virginia
Episode: Your Environment Affects Your Happiness More Than You Think with Dr. Leidy Klotz
Wendy Wood
Professor of Psychology and Business, USC
University of Southern California
Episode: How to Break Up with Your Bad Habits
Richard Ratner
Psychiatrist and veteran who studied heroin addiction in Vietnam soldiers
Independent researcher (case history discussed in episode)
Episode: How to Break Up with Your Bad Habits
Fred Luskin
Psychologist and counselor focused on forgiveness; Director of Stanford Forgiveness Projects
Stanford Forgiveness Project
Episode: Why It Hurts to Hold a Grudge — and How to Let Go with Dr. Fred Luskin

Host

Dr. Laurie Santos
Yale University psychologist and host of a science-forward exploration of happiness, behavior, and well-being.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 24.6k ratings
  • So many ads it’s so unpleasant

    Please limit if possible

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Norahsul
    United Statesa month ago
  • So many ads!

    I’ve been listening to this show for years, but I can’t take the ads any more! I understand needing to make money but it’s not worth it to listen anymore!

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Laura Crowl
    United Statesa month ago
  • So Many Ads and Contradictory

    I just listened to the podcast about “why more things don’t make us happy” on a run. This podcast has so many ads it is infuriating and the way it is recorded is like a child’s storybook with canned sound effects. Basically 25% or more of the whole recording are ads including the first 6 minutes. Then after a short interview with a researcher about why more things don’t make us happy, the podcast cuts to an ad delivered by the host about how awesome buying cheap fast fashion from Quince is. Whil... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Roy mercer
    United Statesa month ago
  • Overpowered by ads

    I’m a huge fan of behavioral economics and psychology and thought I’d love this podcast, but the number and type of ads throughout really detracts from the content.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Mtnssonjl
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great content, WAY too many ads

    Laurie is a great interviewer and always has good content, but ads about every 5 or so, for minutes at a time is just too much. Time to move on.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Feistyone59873
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the scientific grounding and practical takeaways.
Ads are repeatedly criticized for interrupting the content.
Guests and topics are praised for relevance and accessibility.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#68
United States/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#223
Canada/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#47
Canada/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#102
United Kingdom/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#68
France/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#94
Italy/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Art of Doing Nothing
Q: Can you share a practical tip for listeners to start reclaiming time?
The guests suggest taking a proper lunch break with conversation, followed by a deliberate nap or windfall use of small free moments for meaningful activities.
The Art of Doing Nothing
Q: What sparked your interest in the idea of idling and time affluence?
Tom Hodgkinson explains embracing idling as a radical shift away from the cult of productivity, highlighting personal history and how modern schedules push people toward constant activity.
What Screen Time Is Really Doing to Your Body with Manoush Zomorodi
Q: What practical steps can listeners take to start integrating these 'sensory resets' into a typical workday?
Start small with a timer for periodic breaks, choose comfortable movement like walking, stand or stretch during meetings, and gradually extend the breaks or add outdoor sunlight exposure to strengthen eyes and mood.
What Screen Time Is Really Doing to Your Body with Manoush Zomorodi
Q: What did the field studies reveal about implementing movement breaks in real workplaces?
In real-world trials, participants who took five-minute movement breaks every half hour reported less fatigue, steadier mood, and maintained or slightly improved productivity, even when on busy schedules.
What Screen Time Is Really Doing to Your Body with Manoush Zomorodi
Q: Why does your body seem to be a worse fit for a screen-heavy environment than your mind might suggest?
Because sitting and screen exposure affect not just cognitive load but physical systems—blood flow, interoception, and oxygen delivery—creating a mismatch between how we're designed to function and how we live today.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Happiness Lab

What is The Happiness Lab about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A science-backed exploration of happiness, behavior, and well-being through interviews with researchers, authors, and practitioners. Episodes repeatedly probe how habits, time use, environments, and social connections shape mood and life satisfaction, with practical takeaways grounded in psychology, behavioral economics, and design thinking. Notable strengths include rigorous guest perspectives from academia and real-world case studies, plus a clear emphasis on turning research into everyday strategies. The show often pairs accessible storytelling with evidence-based guidance, making it appealing to listeners seeking actionable self-improvement grounded in science. A unique angle is the ongoing focus on time affluence, habit formation, and ... more

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How many subscribers and views does The Happiness Lab have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Happiness Lab has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Happiness Lab?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Happiness Lab:

1. 10% Happier with Dan Harris
2. A Slight Change of Plans
3. Hidden Brain
4. The Science of Happiness
5. Good Life Project

How many episodes of The Happiness Lab are there?

The Happiness Lab launched 7 years ago and published 284 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Happiness Lab?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Happiness Lab?

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What guests have appeared on The Happiness Lab?

Recent guests on The Happiness Lab include:

1. Tom Hodgkinson
2. Ashley Whillans
3. Manoush Zomorodi
4. Cait Flanders
5. Amit Kumar
6. Leidy Klotz
7. Wendy Wood
8. Richard Ratner

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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