Let’s start with a fun exercise. Grab a pen and paper or open a new tab on your computer. Choose 6 numbers between 1 and 55. These are your special lottery numbers for a hypothetical game where the prize is a whopping $100 million! Before we draw the numbers, think about how you would feel if you won. What would you do in the next week or year? Would winning make you happier than you are now? Take a moment to jot down your numbers. Good luck!
So, how did it go? Even if you “won,” it might not make you as happy as you think. A famous study from 1978 found that people who won the lottery felt a surge of happiness at first, but after a few months, their happiness levels returned to what they were before winning. This phenomenon is known as the “Hedonic treadmill,” where both good and bad events only temporarily change our happiness, and we quickly return to our usual state of well-being.
Happiness is a complex emotion. It’s not controlled by a single part of the brain or a specific chemical. In fact, there are over 30 different types of happiness, including feelings like contentment, connection, love, hope, and gratitude. But where do these feelings come from, and why do we experience them?
Emotions are influenced by chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. For example, dopamine is released when something good happens, like winning the lottery, making you feel great. It’s like an internal reward system that encourages you to seek more happiness. Oxytocin is another neurotransmitter, released during positive social interactions, like hugging someone you care about or playing with a pet. This chemical boosts happiness and encourages social cooperation, making everyone feel better.
Serotonin is also important. It’s released when you exercise or enjoy a tasty meal, which is why it’s hard to feel down when you’re eating something delicious. Serotonin is thought to influence your long-term mood, affecting how happy you feel daily.
Everyone has these chemicals in their brain, but not everyone feels the same level of happiness. Scientists have studied the genetic makeup of many people to understand why. They found that small differences in DNA can be linked to overall happiness. These genetic effects mainly come from genes in the brain, suggesting that your baseline happiness level might be partly determined by your DNA from birth.
Even if your baseline happiness is low, it doesn’t mean you’ll be unhappy forever. Your environment and actions can greatly impact your happiness. You can take steps to improve it! Recent studies show that practicing mindfulness can be as effective as medication for improving emotional well-being in people with depression. Other research suggests that smiling or acting happy, even if you don’t feel it, can enhance your mood over time. Expressing gratitude, spending time with pets, and volunteering are also great ways to boost happiness.
We’re still learning about emotions, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for happiness. The key is to discover what makes you happy and pursue it.
And here’s a fun fact: you’re more likely to encounter rare health issues than to win the lottery. That’s something to think about!
Think about a time when you felt genuinely happy. Write a short paragraph describing the situation and what made you feel that way. Consider whether it was related to an event, a person, or an achievement. Share your reflection with a classmate and discuss any similarities or differences in your experiences.
Start a happiness journal where you write down three things that made you happy each day for a week. These can be small moments, like enjoying a good meal or spending time with friends. At the end of the week, review your entries and identify any patterns or common themes that contribute to your happiness.
Research one of the neurotransmitters mentioned in the article (dopamine, oxytocin, or serotonin) and create a poster explaining its role in happiness. Include information about how it affects your mood and any activities that can naturally boost its levels in the brain. Present your poster to the class.
Participate in a guided mindfulness session. Find a quiet space, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Pay attention to the sensations in your body and any thoughts that come to mind without judgment. After the session, discuss with the class how this practice affected your mood and sense of well-being.
Write a letter to someone you are grateful for, expressing your appreciation for their impact on your life. Deliver the letter in person or read it aloud to them. Reflect on how this act of gratitude makes you feel and share your experience with the class.
Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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First up, you’ll want to grab a pen and paper or open another tab to access your working memory, because you need to choose 6 numbers between 1 and 55. These are special numbers as they will be your BrainCraft lottery numbers. Up for grabs is – hypothetically – a jar of 100 million dollars. Before I draw the lottery, I want you to think about how you would feel if you won. What would you do with the next week or year of your life? Would you be happy? Or at least happier than you are feeling right now? Take a moment to write down your numbers. Good luck!
How did it go? Well, even if you did “win,” it wouldn’t necessarily make you happy. In a classic 1978 study, researchers found that the happiness levels of state lottery winners spiked when they won, but after a few months, they returned to their pre-winning level of happiness. Some researchers refer to this as the Hedonic treadmill, where good and bad events temporarily affect our happiness, but we return to a set-point of well-being relatively quickly.
What makes us happy is complicated. In our brain, there isn’t a single area or chemical responsible for happiness. In fact, happiness isn’t just one emotion; there are over 30 different types of happiness, including contentment, connection, love, hope, and gratitude. So where do these feelings come from, and why do we experience them?
In general, emotions arise from chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Take dopamine, for example: when good things happen, like winning the lottery, your brain releases dopamine, making you feel good. It’s like an internal reward – you want to engage in more activities to maintain that happiness. Then there’s oxytocin, which is released through positive social interactions, like hugging someone you love or spending time with a pet. The happiness people feel from oxytocin increases social collaboration; when people help each other, everyone’s happier.
Serotonin is another important neurotransmitter, released when you exercise or enjoy a delicious meal. That’s why it’s hard to feel sad when you’re eating something you love. More importantly, serotonin levels are thought to influence your long-term mood, or how happy you are on a day-to-day basis.
Everyone has these chemicals in their brain, but not everyone experiences the same level of happiness. To understand why, scientists examined the genetic makeup of a large number of people. They looked at the general happiness levels of each person and sought to find genetic differences related to those levels. They identified three specific areas where small differences in DNA seem to be linked to overall well-being or happiness. They also discovered that the genetic effects on mood primarily come from genes in the brain. This suggests that, to some extent, your baseline level of happiness may be encoded in your DNA from birth.
However, even if that baseline level of happiness is low, it doesn’t mean you’re destined to be unhappy your entire life. Studies show that your environment and actions can significantly impact your happiness. You can improve your happiness! One recent study indicated that practicing mindfulness can be as effective as medication in enhancing emotional well-being for those experiencing depression. Other studies have shown that smiling or acting happy, even when you’re not, can improve your overall mood in the long term. Expressing gratitude, playing with a pet, and volunteering can also help boost happiness.
We are still working to understand more about our emotions. There may not be a single solution for making everyone happy, so the important thing is to find what works for you.
Did you know you’re more likely to encounter rare health issues than to win the lottery? That’s a thought to ponder.
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This version maintains the core ideas while removing any informal language or potentially sensitive content.
Happiness – A state of well-being and contentment often characterized by positive emotions. – Example sentence: Practicing gratitude daily can increase your overall happiness and satisfaction with life.
Emotions – Complex psychological states that involve a subjective experience, a physiological response, and a behavioral or expressive response. – Example sentence: Understanding your emotions can help you manage stress and improve your mental health.
Neurotransmitters – Chemicals in the brain that transmit signals from one neuron to another, influencing mood and behavior. – Example sentence: Neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine play a crucial role in regulating our mood and emotions.
Dopamine – A neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, motivation, and reward in the brain. – Example sentence: Activities like exercise and listening to music can increase dopamine levels, making you feel more motivated and happy.
Serotonin – A neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, appetite, and sleep, often linked to feelings of well-being and happiness. – Example sentence: Low levels of serotonin are often associated with depression and anxiety.
Oxytocin – A hormone and neurotransmitter often referred to as the “love hormone” because it is involved in social bonding and trust. – Example sentence: Oxytocin is released during activities like hugging or spending time with loved ones, promoting feelings of connection and trust.
Gratitude – The quality of being thankful and showing appreciation for what one has. – Example sentence: Keeping a gratitude journal can help you focus on the positive aspects of your life and improve your mental health.
Mindfulness – The practice of being aware and present in the moment, often used to reduce stress and improve mental clarity. – Example sentence: Mindfulness meditation can help reduce anxiety by encouraging you to focus on the present moment.
Environment – The surrounding conditions, including physical, social, and cultural factors, that influence an individual’s development and behavior. – Example sentence: A supportive home environment can significantly impact a teenager’s emotional and psychological development.
Genetics – The study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics, influencing traits and behaviors. – Example sentence: Genetics can play a role in determining a person’s susceptibility to certain mental health disorders.
