This book has great information, and the writing is very approachable. Dr. Hansen writes about the importance of physical health so compellingly. But since I read The Attention Fix first, I found this book to be highly repetitive. Some chapters, especially towards the beginning, seemed almost identical to some of the ones from The Attention Fix. I also felt that it ended abruptly when it was just getting started. I would have liked more from the last chapter and the list of ten tips - that’s what I came to the book for.

Thoughts: I thought this was a good book on finding contentment, not necessarily happiness. There is a lot of science and psychology here, but it’s presented in an easy-to-read format that is understandable even for those of us without psychology degrees. He goes into the history of mankind and why we’re not wired for constant happiness. He also explores the reasons behind anxiety, depression, and loneliness. I found it interesting that he equates long-term loneliness with an increase risk of death that is akin to smoking. But in the end, the best things we can do for ourselves are to eat well, sleep well, and exercise. Those are the paths to happiness.

Recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book from Zeitgeist (Penguin Random House) with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

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I really enjoyed reading this book. The author has done a great job on synthesizing the studies on emotional well being. The importance of physical movement has been important but the depth of the studies mentioned here convinced me that I need to do more in this regard. I think this is easy to read book which anyone will benefit from.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. This doesn't impact my opinion in any way.

If I take into account the audience for this book, I view it as a 4-star read with a nice summary of the best advice for a full, happy enough, good enough life. I liked how the author incorporated his expertise and normalised downs as part of life.
I consider myself qualified in several of the topics and areas covered in the book; I cannot say all of the insights would be fresh for everyone, however, they are indeed generally meaningful, accessible and handy.

I just started listening to this arc. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher of this book for this arc!
I needed this self help book. I like The Happiness Cure so far and I’m so excited for this arc.
I will need to buy the physical copy after listening to this on my kindle, so I can annotate this book! 📖

My full review will come to follow but this will be a 5 stars ✨
I am truly enjoying listening to my arc copy of The Happiness Cure. As a person who also suffers from anxiety, I’m very grateful to Netgalley that this arc copy was in the read section, I saved my copy to kindle because I’ll definitely keep re listening to this arc. Thank you to The publisher also for making this arc available because I really wanted to listen to this book.
I would learn more ways to happiness by reading this book so that is why I would also need the physical book.

I really enjoyed this book written by a psychiatrist who really looks at the evolutionary reasons for anxiety and depression. Anders points out how our brains have protected us throughout time by being on the alert and with other behaviors that can hurt us in our modern world. He also debunks the serotonin and dopamine lines that we hear so much (I appreciated the line that our brains are not soups of three ingredients out of balance) but does talk about how much inflammation and lack of exercise do lead to depression for biological reasons. He also points out why loneliness is such an issue and why we are not even designed for some sort of constant state of happiness (then we would stop working towards good things, like if a banana made us feel eternally full we would stop eating). Lots of interesting stuff, good information, and easy to understand elements.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

A refreshing look at emotional well-being from a scientific perspective. Hansen explains how our brains, which evolved for survival, aren’t designed to keep us happy all the time. This shift in understanding helps explain why modern life often leaves us feeling dissatisfied.

The book’s strength lies in its simplicity. Hansen gives straightforward, science-backed advice: exercise regularly, get outside, and connect with others. These basic actions can significantly improve mental health.

For readers who enjoy books that combine science with practical advice, *The Happiness Cure* is an informative and engaging read. Highly recommended for anyone interested in understanding their emotions and improving well-being.