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This is a well-researched work simplifies multiple sources of research, into clearly defined easy ro digest chapters. These are clearly mapped to explain the different factors impacting the individual's need for happiness. Exercise is something that we as a species have evolved for. So, exercise is something that we should try to build into our lives, such as walking to work, riding your bike to work, walking in stairs instead of taking the elevators, all these things. A brilliantly researched book that will transform how you think about happiness. Thomas Erikson, author of Surrounded by Idiots One of the most valuable things this book did for me was to give me a sense that getting a little sadder in your forties is perfectly normal, not permanent, and that it's okay even if that sadness feels undeserved. That alone would have made this a worthwhile read for me because I have felt inexplicably sadder in my forties and thought I was going nuts and that the rest of my life was going to be a downhill slide (not true according to science!).
The last two chapters were a bit more self-helpy, and I found they dragged a little bit, but I think this was because the things he suggests to get through the slump seemed pretty obvious to me, probably because I've already looked into/been implementing a lot of those things because I have a lifelong battle with waxing and waning depression & anxiety (don't go it alone - share how you are feeling with friends/counsellor, try something new, use meditation and mindfulness techniques etc.) The last two chapters also talked about the beginnings of a movement to redefine what older age looks like (the 50s and 60s) similar to how adolescence as a distinct life phase had to be defined with the rise of the industrial revolution. That was somewhat interesting. Anders Hansen is our foremost and most accomplished public educator. With his crystal-clear, straightforward prose that never shies away from the difficult questions, he writes about evolution and the brain, and why many of us are left feeling so bad. Brilliant, I think. And very informative David Lagercrantz
Mats Wänblad
Just before that section of the book -- the author gets into the wisdom studies and some very pragmatic and clear information on what it is and why it is important to those This book presents a captivating journey through the complexities of mental well-being, unveiling the intricate workings of our minds in relation to emotions, anxiety, depression, and the pursuit of happiness. Despite a somewhat misleading title, suggesting a direct route to perpetual joy, the book offers a nuanced exploration of factors influencing our mental states. By describing our minds as the products of evolution, Hansen shows invaluable new ways for understanding and living with our most important mental ups and downs. "The Happiness Cure" uses direct and accessible language to present the exciting promise of a scientifically informed psychiatry. Richard Wrangham, author of The Goodness Paradox The nominees for the Swedish 2021 Storytel Awards have been announced. The Storytel Awards have been bestowed since 2007 in Sweden to highlight the best audio books of the year. The awards are granted within six categories: Suspense, Fiction, Non-fiction, Feelgood, YA, and Children’s books.
I also would have liked to have a little bit more information about the animal studies he notes, both the ape study and the studies about other species experiencing an optimism bias. How do we know animals experience an optimism bias? Do apes experience the happiness curve for the same reasons that humans do? I wouldn’t consider it a Happiness Curve in the Pharrell Williams sense, I would equate it more with a calmer sense of happiness, a higher level of appreciation for life, in general, for contentment rather than needing as much high levels of excitement, at least from the examples he cited. A fascinating exploration of the ways in which our ancient neurologic wiring is mismatched for the modern ecosystem. By understanding depression and anxiety through the lens of evolution, we can make sense of the growing despair in the world today and do something about it. This is a must read for anyone hoping to understand the human brain. Dr. Anna Lembke, New York Times bestselling author of Dopamine Nation Anders Hansen is a highly regarded scientific communicator who, in this book, seeks the keys to our well-being through human evolution. It is both an encouraging and a comforting message which describes how our brains are wired for survival, rather than constant well-being. Thomas Perlmann, Professor of Molecular Developmental Biology, Karolinska Institute, Sweden and Member of the Nobel Assembly The keys to surviving or "muddling through" this trough are to first and foremost, accept as "normal" what you are going through and resist the urge for comparison to others or to your own goals/expectations. Then, despite your inclination to become a hermit and hide out -- connect and reach out to others who are going through it or who have gone through it: connectedness is one of the keys to surviving. Finally, make changes in small steps, not giant leaps -- and build on your strengths, skills and experience.The studies on wisdom align nicely with the basic tenets of Buddhism -- which may explain why so many folks are drawn to it in middle age, it provides a structure and community for their changing values and beliefs. There's no association between wisdom and intelligence, "What wise people know about is life." And Rauch can testify to this personally because it was his own slump, despite acclaim as a journalist and commentator that compelled him to investigate the happiness curve. His own story and the stories of many others from all walks of life—from a steelworker and a limo driver to a telecoms executive and a philanthropist—show how the ordeal of midlife malaise reboots our values and even our brains for a rebirth of gratitude.
Depression takes center stage, with Hansen linking inflammation to milder symptoms. His unique perspective on inflammation as a thermostat for our feelings adds a fresh layer to the discussion. The book also emphasizes the importance of physical activity in maintaining mental health, positioning exercise as a potent antidote to depression and anxiety.compassion and prosocial attitudes that reflect concern for the common good; pragmatic knowledge of life; the use of one’s pragmatic knowledge to resolve personal and social problems; an ability to cope with ambiguity and uncertainty, and to see multiple points of view; emotional stability and mastery of one’s own feelings; a capacity for reflection and for dispassionate self-understanding." Few go through an actual midlife crisis, but almost everyone feels a general malaise and disappointment as your life hasn't lived up to your early adult dreams and high expectations. As we age out of midlife, we gradually reboot ourselves into happiness. Expectations are jettisoned. We shed stress and live more in the now. We became more grateful, even as our bodies begin to fail us.
We've all heard the jokes about midlife crisis and folks who are experiencing difficulties in midlife are often pooh-poohed -- I remember one middle aged friend laughing at midlife crises as self-indulgent, saying "I can't afford a midlife crisis!" The answer lies in understanding what the happiness curve is really saying, which is this: It is perfectly possible to be very satisfied with your life in middle age, but it is harder.” Although I'm not quite middle-aged yet (35 - so probably on the downward curve) the idea of the happiness curve and many of the other ideas about happiness resonated for me. Why does happiness get harder in your 40s? Why do you feel in a slump when you’re successful? Where does this malaise come from? And, most importantly, will it ever end? One section I found interesting was where he summarized the factors that another survey found to contribute most strongly to people's reported well-being.
Well, the same can be said of midlife, as it turns out. Jonathan Rauch's book, "The Happiness Curve" starts off by diving into a huge pile of research: dozens of research teams have seen this u-shaped curve in self-reported life satisfaction scores. We start off VERY happy in life and our satisfaction gradually decreases at mid-life, and then begins to increase again after this midlife trough. It's not just cultural -- it's found across multiple cultures and samples across decades. And, it's not just humans -- researchers working with primates around the world, in various settings, have found the same curve in our nearest non-human primate relatives and may be biological. Meanwhile, Anders Hansen’s Brain Blues and Måns Mosesson’s Tim – The Official Biography of Avicii features on the Non-fiction list, and David Sundin’s audiobook The Audiobook That Did Not Want To End – Part 2, from the same universe as The Book That Did Not Want To Be Read, is in the running for the Children’s books’ award. This book is written by a journalist who had not so much a mid-life crisis but just more like a general slump feeling even when his life was going really well in mid-age (career accolades, happy marriage etc). Then miraculously at around late 40s early 50s he started feeling better, with nothing else really changing in his life. He wanted to investigate this phenomenon and it turns out that the research on happiness shows that cross culturally, even accounting for other factors such as income, gender, etc. there is a statistically significant "happiness curve" tied to age that has been demonstrated by big data sets of hundreds of thousands of people. On average, people will experience some level of "slump" feeling in mid-life though what constitutes mid-life in terms of age varies slightly from culture to culture. A similar phenomenon has been observed in apes as well. Basically there is evidence to suggest that this slump is to some degree biologically built into primates, but there are also cultural factors, and how each individual experiences it is going to vary considerably--some might have a full on 'mid life crisis,' some may feel a general feeling of malaise, and some may not feel it at all. We are biological beings, a product of evolution. With a warm heart and a light hand, Anders Hansen explains what this means for our mental well-being Karin Bojs
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