Friday, July 21, 2023

The most popular happiness strategies lack data

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The science supporting happiness strategies isn't as strong as you think
By Alice Park
Senior Health Correspondent

Who doesn’t want to be happier? Very few of us, if internet searches are any indication. Queries for ways to boost mood and introduce more happiness into our lives are among the most popular advice we seek. And there are plenty of recommendations. But how effective are they?

It turns out the science behind them isn’t as robust as even many experts believed. I spoke to happiness researchers at the University of British Columbia who authored a new meta-analysis examining the quality of studies behind the five most recommended happiness strategies: expressing gratitude, becoming more socially engaged, practicing meditation or mindfulness, exercising, and spending more time in nature. Here’s what they found:

  • Very few studies involving these strategies met strict criteria for high-quality scientific research.
  • Even the studies with high-quality data indicate that most of these strategies only improve mood over short periods of time.
  • Better research is needed to verify how these strategies can affect mood—and for how long.

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Today's newsletter was written by Alice Park and Jamie Ducharme, and edited by Angela Haupt.

 
 
 
 
 
 

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