You, Happier: The 7 Neuroscience Secrets of Feeling Good Based on Your Brain Type

I am writing this book at a time when the world is in turmoil and Americans are the unhappiest they’ve been in 50 years.[1] There is a lot to be unhappy about: As of July 2021, more than 30 million people in the United States have contracted the COVID-19 virus, and more than 600,000 Americans have died in the global pandemic that brought social isolation, grief, and fear to almost every household in the country. Add that to subsequent high unemployment rates, an economy in tatters, and the ongoing political divide, and you can see why we have been brought to our emotional knees. As a nation, we are feeling so stressed and unhappy that it has sparked a dramatic rise in the number of new prescriptions for antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and sleep aids.[2] In early 2020, rates of depression —the opposite of being happy —tripled from 8.5 percent, which was already at record highs, to a horrifying 27.8 percent just a few months later.[3] The statistics may seem grim, but you deserve to be happy, and you can cultivate happiness even when it seems like the world is crumbling around you.

I’ve seen it happen. In 2021, I knew people were hurting emotionally in the wake of the pandemic, so I launched an online 30-Day Happiness Challenge that attracted an astounding 32,000 participants. (You can do the challenge at 30DayHappinessChallenge.com.) On each day of the challenge, I shared science-backed tips and strategies —some of the same ones you will find in this book —that ramp up happiness and positivity. I wanted to see how much the participants could improve over the course of the challenge, so I asked them to take the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, a well-respected assessment that provides a score on a scale of 1 to 6.[4] (See page 35 for more information on this questionnaire, which you can take as part of my 30-Day Happiness Challenge.) People took the quiz twice, once at the beginning of the program and once at the end. The average happiness score for participants on Day 1 was 3.58, which correlates to being “not particularly happy.” Among people who completed the course, the average score on Day 30 had jumped to 4.36, a 22 percent improvement, which correlates with being “rather happy; pretty happy”! Even more impressive, their self-reported happiness levels increased by 32 percent. And they did it in just about 10 to 15 minutes a day. This shows that not only can you develop happiness, but also that you can do it quickly. Take it from one of the participants who wrote in a post, “Thirty days ago I was so miserable, so hopeless, and so depressed! This has literally transformed my life and made my life not only bearable but JOYFUL.”

I want the same for you. In the following pages, you will discover how to do it.

Contents
Publisher Note

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Seven Secrets to Happiness No One Is Talking About

Part 1: The Neuroscience of Brain Types and Happiness
Chapter 2: Finding Happiness in the Brain

Secret 1: Know Your Brain Type
Chapter 3: An Introduction to Brain Typing

Chapter 4: The Balanced Brain Type : Happy Brain Systems and Balanced Neurochemicals

Chapter 5: The Spontaneous Brain Type: The Prefrontal Cortex and Dopamine

Chapter 6: The Persistent Brain Type: The Brain’s Gear Shifters and Serotonin

Chapter 7: The Sensitive Brain Type: The Limbic System and Oxytocin and Endorphins

Chapter 8: The Cautious Brain Type: The Anxiety Centers and GABA

Part 2: The Biology of Happiness
Secret 2: Optimize the Physical Functioning of Your Brain
Chapter 9: Bright Minds Are Happier: 11 Essential Strategies to Optimize Your Brain for a More Positive Outlook

Secret 3: Nourish Your Unique Brain
Chapter 10: Happy Nutraceuticals: Natural Ways to Feel Good

Secret 4: Choose Foods You Love That Love You Back
Chapter 11: The You, Happier Diet: Happy Foods vs. Sad Foods

Part 3: The Psychology of Happiness
Secret 5: Master Your Mind and Gain Psychological Distance from the Noise in Your Head
Chapter 12: Anchoring Happiness into Your Nervous System: Practices That Train Your Brain to Be Happy

Chapter 13: Positivity Bias Training: Directing Your Mind to What’s Good

Part 4: The Social Connections of Happiness
Secret 6: Notice What You Like About Others More Than What You Don’t
Chapter 14: Happy Connections: The Neuroscience of Relationship Bliss

Chapter 15: Happiness around the World: What Different Cultures Teach Us about Happiness

Part 5: The Spirituality of Happiness
Secret 7: Live Each Day Based on Your Clearly Defined Values, Purpose, and Goals
Chapter 16: Clarity: Core Values, Purpose, and Goals in the Four Circles

Conclusion: The Daily Journey of Happiness

Gratitude and Appreciation

About Daniel G. Amen, MD

Resources

Index