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3 Science-Backed Ways To Retrain Your Brain & Be A Happier Person
We live in a world of superabundance—of information, goods, status, you name it. That's not always a bad thing (the ability to pick up food at a grocery store is arguably much better than hunting for food yourself), but according to health journalist Michal Easter, New York Times bestselling author of Scarcity Brain, our genes have not caught up to these changes to our environment.
"The way we live is often at odds with how we always lived in the past," he says on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, and our satisfaction and happiness suffer as a result. Think about it: When you grab some grass-fed beef at the market, you likely don't fist-pump the air in triumph. But ages ago, if you caught a gazelle that would feed your whole family, you'd probably feel over the moon.
So, how do we retrain our brains' reward systems and ultimately live happier lives—you know, without hunting food for survival? We suggest trying Easter's three research-backed tips below:
Slow down!
According to Easter, our brains are drawn to tasks with "quick repeatability." It's why slot machines are so popular in casinos: "The average slot machine player plays 900 games an hour, over and over," he shares. But as you can probably guess, the surge of dopamine you may experience from slot machines is short-lived.
Zooming out, Easter argues that most things that result in quick behavior don't lead to long-lasting happiness. His suggestion? Slow down! "For example, eat foods that are minimally processed, that take longer to chew, and that are more filling per calorie," he explains. Research has even shown1 that people eat 500 fewer calories per day eating unprocessed foods versus ultra-processed foods, just because of the slower eating process.
"You can also apply this logic to purchasing things," Easter shares. For example, he recommends only buying items in person (as opposed to Amazon or other online retailers). "Or if I want to buy something online, I'm going to put a three-day holding period [until] I revisit the cart and see if I actually need it," he adds. Chances are, you'll wind up much happier with your purchase.
"Even the act of not having your credit card information saved on every website will slow down the frequency of buying, simply because you've inserted pause into the behavior," he adds. Baby steps!
Spend time in nature
Spending time in nature makes you happier. Just take it from the research: A recent study out of Austria found that locals reported feeling happier and less alone when spending time outdoors in 2020. Taking a walk through any natural green space can decrease rumination, a contributor to depression and anxiety disorder, compared to one through an urban environment.
There are myriad reasons why nature is so good for our brains, but according to Easter, fractals have some significant mind-soothing power. "Nature is made up of these things called fractals. These are repeating patterns of the universe," he explains. Think of the construction of a snowflake or web of tree branches—they contain patterns that repeat at a smaller and smaller scale.
"We don't have fractals in the built environment, but they totally make up nature," he adds. "There's some research2 that suggests fractals are very calming for people."
Now, here's a caveat: Try not to open your phone (or don't even bring it with you, if you're able) while you're out in nature. According to research, "When people bring their phone into nature and spend time on it, they don't get any of the benefits3 of nature," he declares. "If you're on your phone, you're kind of mentally in the office; your focus isn't out on the open world of nature, and it negates the benefits." Take it as a sign to leave your device at home—or at least switch it onto airplane mode.
Get out of your comfort zone
Finally, Easter suggests challenging yourself periodically. Staying in your comfort zone can feel, well, comfortable, but completing challenging tasks comes with a much greater reward and lingering feeling of happiness.
"Once a year, people should go out and do some physical tasks out in nature [with a] 50-50 chance of failure," he declares. It's a take on the Japanese ritual "misogi," which involves standing under an icy waterfall (a very challenging task) for body-mind purification.
"Humans used to have to do challenging things in the past all the time," Easter explains. "Each time you would do one of those things, you would get thrust out to the edges of what you thought you were capable of. In turn, those edges would expand, so you become more capable [and] confident. And we don't really have those moments in our lives anymore."
Everyone's physical challenge will look different, but the point is to find something you do not think you will initially excel at. So then when you do, the reward will feel even greater. "Embrace short-term discomfort to get a long-term benefit," Easter adds. As you challenge yourself more and more each year, you'll grow exponentially without even realizing it.
The takeaway
According to Easter, our environment has evolved at a much faster rate than our biology. This, in turn, can make us more anxious and less satisfied with what we have. If you do feel this way, just know it's not you—it's your environment. By changing up your experiences, you can retrain your brain to send feel-good signals for long-lasting rewards. You're essentially biohacking your happiness, no fancy gadgets necessary.
We hope you enjoy this episode! And don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube!
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