BBC Radio Bristol launches new happiness podcast
Posted on: 30 Sep 2020The University of Bristol's popular ‘Science of Happiness’ module has been turned into a new BBC podcast.
A new podcast from BBC Radio Bristol gives listeners an evidence-based path to happiness.
The Happiness Half Hour brings the best of the University of Bristol’s ground-breaking ‘Science of Happiness’ course to BBC Sounds.
Over ten episodes the podcast reveals what is scientifically proven to improve wellbeing, using the latest peer-reviewed studies in psychology and neuroscience.
It turns out, the things we think will make us happy actually don't????
— BBC Radio Bristol (@bbcrb) September 29, 2020
So this new podcast reveals the simple things that are proven to work! Based on the UK's first university course in the science of happiness. Out now on @BBCSounds #bbchappinesshalfhourhttps://t.co/F0yOQcaWV9
In 2018, The Science of Happiness university course launched at the University of Bristol – the first of its kind in the UK.
It was brought to the university by Professor and Developmental Psychologist Bruce Hood after he was “increasingly concerned about the rise in mental health problems” among his students.
“I learned of a course at Yale, ‘Psychology and Good Life’ delivered by a former student of mine Laurie Santos, so I reached out to her and she helped me develop a pilot for Bristol,” said Bruce of the course.
It was a success: student participants reported significantly increased levels of mental wellbeing compared with those who hadn’t taken the course.
And, due to its popularity, the next year it was accredited as an official degree-level module – the only one at the university that is not assessed and is undertaken purely for the beneficial outcomes.
“It was so successful,” Bruce added, “that I wanted to bring it to national attention with the help of the BBC so that everyone could benefit.”
Now Bruce and BBC radio morning presenter Emma Britton will bring the best of the course to BBC Sounds in The Happiness Half Hour.
Each week Bruce and Emma tackle a different topic to find out what the science says is the best path to long-term wellbeing.
Putting the science to the test will be ‘Happiness Hackers’ Jason Clarkson and Lillie-Mae Stubbs – who try out Bruce and Emma’s recommendations and give their verdict during the next episode.
Lillie-Mae is a BBC social media journalist and Jason took part in the broadcaster’s ‘New Voices’ talent search last year.
Speaking of the podcast, Emma said: “I can be up, I can be down, and some days I just can’t explain why. And if I’m honest, I’m down a lot more than people around me would realise.
“Does that sound familiar? Right now, it feels harder than ever to feel positive all of the time.
“I thought: I can’t be the only one right? And that’s when I met Bruce and we decided to make this podcast, to take what science has proven really works so I can finally dispense with the self-help books.
“At the heart of this podcast is the message that happiness is not something we automatically know how to achieve, many of us have to learn it – and this course is your guide.”
The first two episodes of the Happiness Half Hour dropped on BBC Sounds on Tuesday 29 September. New episodes will be released each Tuesday.
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