Explore how thinking about death can teach us to live more fully, find meaning, and appreciate the people we love.

Summary: We often avoid thinking about death, but research suggests that facing our mortality can help us live more fully and focus on what matters most. On this episode of The Science of Happiness, death doula Andrea Sexton-Dumas shares how her experiences with loss have shaped her understanding of grief, connection, and finding hope in unexpected places. Then, psychologist Philip Cozzolino explains how reflecting on our limited time can help us live more authentically, strengthen our relationships, and find greater meaning in everyday life.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Take a few deep breaths: Find a comfortable position, gently lower your gaze or close your eyes, and breathe slowly as you settle into the present moment.
2. Imagine a plant friend: Picture a plant in your mind, noticing its leaves, flowers, scent, and texture. Ask whether it is willing to share in your heartache today.
3. Connect with the earth: Imagine holding a handful of soil. Notice its color, texture, and moisture, and observe any feelings that arise without judgment.
4. Share your grief: Imagine digging a small hole in the soil and sharing who or what you're grieving. Speak aloud or silently, expressing whatever you need to have witnessed.
5. Let the earth hold your grief: Imagine the soil receiving your heartache with care. When you're ready, gently refill the hole, smooth the earth, and sprinkle fresh water over the spot as an act of nurturing.
6. Express gratitude and return to the present: Take a deep breath and offer a quiet thank-you to the plant and earth for holding your grief. When you're ready, gently open your eyes.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

ANDREA SEXTON-DUMAS is a death and grief doula based in Oakland, California.

https://www.andreasextondumas.com/

DR. PHILIP COZZOLINO is a psychologist and associate professor at University of Virginia School of Medicine.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Philip-Cozzolino

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

How Rituals Keep Us Connected: https://tinyurl.com/4unkssnd

Who’s Always There For You: https://tinyurl.com/2p9p934w

How Thinking About Your Ancestors Can Help You Thrive: https://tinyurl.com/3wzx44ux

Related Happiness Breaks:

A Meditation on Love and Interconnectedness: https://tinyurl.com/3jsjvxtv

A Guided Meditation on Embodied Love: https://tinyurl.com/5brfa93x

A Meditation to Connect With Your Roots: https://tinyurl.com/bd6cmeym

Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription to come.

Dr. David Spiegel leads us in a practice of cyclic sighing, a simple breathing technique that uses slow, extended exhales to calm your nervous system, ease stress and anxiety, and help you feel more relaxed.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Prepare: Find a comfortable seated or standing position in a quiet environment. Relax your shoulders and jaw.
2. First Inhale: Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. Start with your abdomen, allowing it to expand (diaphragmatic breathing) as you fill your lungs about halfway. Hold this breath briefly.
3. Second Inhale: Continue inhaling through your nose, now expanding your chest to completely fill your lungs. Hold this combined breath (abdomen and chest filled) for a moment.
4. Exhale: Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth. Make sure the exhale is gentle and lasts about twice as long as the combined inhales.
5. Repeat the Cycle: Repeat the inhale sequence for a total of 3 cycles (or as desired): Start with a diaphragmatic inhale through your nose, expanding your abdomen. Follow with a chest expansion inhale through your nose to fill your lungs completely. Hold briefly after each combined inhale. Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth, ensuring it's twice as long as the inhales.
6. Reflect and Relax: After completing the cycles, take a moment to observe how your body feels. Notice any sensations of relaxation, reduced tension, or a calmer state of mind.

The Science of Happiness, is a Top 5 finalist in the Signal Awards for a series about how cities can inspire awe. We’d love your vote! Vote for The Science of Happiness here. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu with a screenshot of your vote for a chance to win a signed copy of host Dacher Keltner’s book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.

Today’s Guide:

DR. DAVID SPIEGEL is Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is also the co-founder of the clinically backed self-hypnosis app Reveri.

Read Dr. Spiegel’s cyclic sighing study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.go...

Related Happiness Break Episodes:

A Mindful Breath Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/5b454xu9

A Humming Technique To Calm Your Nerves: https://tinyurl.com/tyhwkwe2

Related Science of Happiness Episodes:

The Science of Humming: https://tinyurl.com/yvedc8z3

How To Breathe Away Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/3taj9ybe

We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/fmk63bjw

Explore how cyclic sighing, a simple controlled breathing technique, can help reduce anxiety, promote relaxation, and bring greater calm to everyday stressful moments.

Summary: In this episode of The Science of Happiness, professional surfer and chemistry professor Sarah Gerhardt shares how she uses cyclic sighing to manage anxiety and stress in everyday situations. Then Stanford psychologist David Spiegel explains the science behind the technique and how five minutes of daily practice can improve mood and lower respiratory rate. Together, they explore how controlled breathing can help us shift our body’s response to stress and feel calmer in moments of overwhelm.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Prepare: Find a comfortable seated or standing position in a quiet environment. Relax your shoulders and jaw.
2. First Inhale: Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. Start with your abdomen, allowing it to expand (diaphragmatic breathing) as you fill your lungs about halfway. Hold this breath briefly.
3. Second Inhale: Continue inhaling through your nose, now expanding your chest to completely fill your lungs. Hold this combined breath (abdomen and chest filled) for a moment.
4. Exhale: Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth. Make sure the exhale is gentle and lasts about twice as long as the combined inhales.
5. Repeat the Cycle: Repeat the inhale sequence for a total of 3 cycles (or as desired). Start with a diaphragmatic inhale through your nose, expanding your abdomen. Follow with a chest expansion inhale through your nose to fill your lungs completely. Hold briefly after each combined inhale. Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth, ensuring it's twice as long as the inhales.
6. Reflect and Relax: After completing the cycles, take a moment to observe how your body feels. Notice any sensations of relaxation, reduced tension, or a calmer state of mind.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

SARAH GERHARDT is a pro-surfer and chemistry professor based out of Santa Cruz, California

DR. DAVID SPIEGEL is Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is also the co-founder of the clinically backed self-hypnosis app Reveri.

Related Science of Happiness Episodes:

Remembering to Breathe: https://tinyurl.com/3ckj5tjy

How To Tune Out The Noise: https://tinyurl.com/y9dd6bau

Related Happiness Break Episodes:

A Mindful Breath Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/5b454xu9

A Breathing Technique To Help You Relax: https://tinyurl.com/59y4sf5y

Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at

happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/3u69tefe