The hottest Wellbeing Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health & Wellness Topics

Arthur Brooks: Why Your ‘Perfect’ Life Feels So Empty

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1196 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Many young, high-achieving people feel deeply unhappy even when everything seems to be going right, showing that success doesn't guarantee fulfillment.
  2. Rates of depression and anxiety among adolescents and college students have risen sharply, with more students seeking mental-health treatment and campuses feeling darker and more anxious.
  3. A culture of relentless striving that treats life's mysteries as problems to be solved can trivialize what it means to be human and leave people feeling empty, so we need to rethink how we find purpose and meaning.

It’s 2028. AI Has Made You Much Happier.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 412 implied HN points • 02 Mar 26
🕹 Technology Wellbeing
  1. Doomsday AI narratives can spook investors and trigger real market sell-offs, showing how powerful stories about automation are for the economy.
  2. AI could take over routine, drudgery work and free people to spend more time on meaningful, human-centered activities, potentially boosting happiness.
  3. Which future we get depends on adoption choices, policy responses, and how people decide to use AI, not just on the technology itself.

How Bodycount Impacts Relationships (graph dump)

Knowingless • 1472 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. People with higher bodycounts tend to report being less codependent and less intertwined with their partners.
  2. There’s a mild, inconsistent trend where higher bodycount is linked to somewhat more toxic relationship patterns, but the effect is small and only shows up on some questions.
  3. Sex-satisfaction results are mixed and sometimes counterintuitive, with very high-bodycount women often responding differently than moderately-high bodycount women.

Arthur Brooks: Family Estrangement Is a Tragedy

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1279 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Cutting ties with a family member affects the brain much like the death of a loved one, causing real grief and loss.
  2. Family estrangement is common and can happen to anyone, including rich and famous families.
  3. High-profile breakups draw attention but reflect private problems — people often cite interference in relationships or an inauthentic upbringing when they refuse to reconcile.

Beyond toxic positivity

Granted • 16412 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. In tough times, merely promoting positivity doesn't help people cope; it's important to acknowledge and support them through their pain.
  2. Strength comes from being genuinely supported, not from pretending everything is always okay.
  3. It's essential to strike a balance between recognizing difficult emotions and maintaining a sense of hope for the future.
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Mental Bric-a-Brac

Disaffected Newsletter • 839 implied HN points • 08 Aug 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Good customer service should be recognized and praised, just like bad service is often complained about. It's important to share positive experiences.
  2. A personal connection with service staff can make a big difference, like when a pharmacist helps save money on medications and explains the options available.
  3. Observing changes in other countries can evoke a sense of concern and hope for their future. There's often a personal connection felt even from afar.

Level up: Week 2

Running Probably • 99 implied HN points • 11 Oct 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Running by feel is important. Instead of always checking your watch, pay attention to how your body feels during the run.
  2. Finding the right time to run makes it easier to stick to your routine. Try different times to see when you feel best running.
  3. Adding variety to your running routes keeps things interesting. Explore new paths and take note of your surroundings to make each run fun.

‘It’s about changing minds. I want to make choosing bhangra ‘normal’ for everyone.’

NN Journal • 139 implied HN points • 05 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Wellbeing
  1. Bhangra is a fun and energetic dance from Punjab that is great exercise. It has traditional roots but now mixes with popular music and fitness classes.
  2. Everyone is welcome to join Bhangra classes, no matter their background or skill level. The focus is on inclusivity and making dance enjoyable for everyone.
  3. Dancing Bhangra can help improve mental health and build confidence. It's not just about physical activity; it also provides a break from everyday stress.

Making Sense of Supplements

The Vajenda • 3773 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and more.
  2. Fiber supplements can help with constipation when food intake falls short.
  3. Be cautious with multi-ingredient supplements making broad health claims, as they are often untested and lack evidence.

How and Why You Should Cut Your Social Media Usage

Samstack • 807 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Cutting down on social media and phone use makes you calmer and more productive; going out without a phone or switching to a simple phone often leads to reading or real conversations instead of constant checking.
  2. Social media algorithms favor polarizing, attention-grabbing content and can encourage addictive, quick dopamine-seeking behavior, which likely harms mental health even if the evidence is mixed.
  3. You can reduce online time without quitting entirely by using blockers and timed lockboxes, swapping to a dumb phone, curating your feeds, and taking up a hobby that naturally replaces screen time.

The Black Dog

Disaffected Newsletter • 2957 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Depression can hit hard and make everyday tasks very difficult, like eating and sleeping.
  2. It's okay to be open about struggles with mental health, even for those who discuss it publicly.
  3. Despite tough times, there is hope that things will improve eventually and new ideas will come.

Mental Health is Health 🧠

Are You Okay? • 1737 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall health, affecting our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, as well as our physical health. It is not just about happiness but about acknowledging and working on our fears, moods, habits, and relationships.
  2. Being aware of our mental health, accepting the things we cannot change, and taking action over the things we can control are important steps in managing mental health.
  3. Addressing mental health issues is a nuanced process that may involve a combination of medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, and self-discovery. It requires a holistic approach considering bio-psycho-social elements.

Work friends are the secret to great culture

Make Work Better • 163 implied HN points • 16 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Wellbeing
  1. Close friendships at work dramatically improve engagement, retention and business outcomes, and many people would even take lower pay for strong workplace relationships.
  2. AI and digital tools are making some interactions more superficial and increasing loneliness, so human collaboration and repeated meaningful contact remain essential even with remote or hybrid work.
  3. Leaders should set the tone for connection, laughter and trust, because friendship grows through shared time and experience and is a core pillar of healthy culture and performance.

Why happiness fuels success

A Bit Gamey • 27 implied HN points • 01 Mar 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Happiness fuels success. When you're positive your brain works better, you think more clearly, and you recover from setbacks faster.
  2. Happiness is something you practice by choosing your perspective and habits. Small starting steps and simple environment changes make good habits easy and build momentum.
  3. Setbacks can become opportunities when you reframe them and focus on what you can control. Investing in relationships and community boosts resilience and helps you succeed.

hello depression my old friend

Both Are True • 304 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. I’m dealing with a low, nagging sadness that comes with a lot of anger and shame, and there may not be a single clear reason for it. Trying to pin down or fix the feeling feels like quicksand.
  2. Recent changes—like cutting antidepressants and stopping weed—are likely making me feel off and in withdrawal, which is complicating my mood.
  3. Even with a loving family and a good life, the darkness can still seep in, but writing and being honest about it helps me feel a bit more like myself.

Getting the Crab to the Beach

Living Fossils • 29 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Distress often signals a bad fit between a person and their situation, not a fundamental personal defect; feelings can be most useful as clues about the environment.
  2. Focusing too much on thoughts, memories, or meaning can trap people in rumination; changing routines and context is often more effective than insight alone.
  3. Practical solutions usually involve altering the situation to match the person—adding structure, social context, or different schedules—because shifting circumstances is often easier and more reliable than trying to reengineer personality.

Want to Be Happier? Use These Five Charts to Improve Your Life.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2796 implied HN points • 01 Jan 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Happiness comes from many types of wealth, not just money. You should focus on time, social connections, mental well-being, and physical health too.
  2. Reflect on the time you have left with loved ones. Understanding this can help you prioritize your time and who you spend it with.
  3. There's always something more to chase in life, like a bigger boat. Instead of striving for what society tells you to want, figure out what truly matters to you.

Why I’ve Resisted Talking About Mental Health

Ben’s Blog 🏉 🧠🧑‍💻 • 25 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. The phrase “mental health” is vague, but framing it as nervous system health highlights the underlying mechanism that explains how we feel and offers a practical way to act.
  2. People often avoid talking about mental health because of fear — being seen as weak, lacking formal qualifications, or worrying that vulnerability will feel embarrassing.
  3. Peak performance and mental struggle sit on the same nervous‑system spectrum, so talking about energy and regulation connects performance work to mental health, and sharing struggles can lead to support and clearer paths forward.

How to Care For Your Body with Kindness & Respect

Are You Okay? • 978 implied HN points • 04 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Body acceptance is the starting point for caring for your body - it allows you to be realistic and kind to yourself instead of idealistic and critical.
  2. Focus on nourishing foods, enjoyable movement, and rejecting perfectionism in order to care for your body with kindness and respect.
  3. Reduce social media consumption to improve mental health and avoid comparing yourself to idealized images.

Do blue-blocking glasses improve sleep?

DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER • 718 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Blue-blocking glasses may help increase melatonin levels, especially when you're exposed to bright light at night. This means they could help you feel sleepier.
  2. The evidence on whether blue-blocking glasses improve overall sleep quality is mixed. Some studies show a small improvement, while others show little or no effect.
  3. Instead of wearing blue-blocking glasses, it might be better to reduce blue light in your environment, like using dim, warm-colored lights at night.

An Antidote for Wound Collecting

The Dose • 589 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Focusing on strengths over fragility can help us grow and feel better.
  2. Creating an identity around victimhood can lead to rumination, lack of empathy, and a constant need for recognition of suffering.
  3. Reframing our life story as a hero's journey can increase well-being, resilience, and help us see obstacles as challenges to overcome.

the thoughts that think me

Both Are True • 145 implied HN points • 19 Nov 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Most of what we think and feel happens without our awareness and still shapes our beliefs and actions.
  2. Negative, automatic thoughts can form self-fulfilling beliefs (a fixed mindset) that make it harder to do the things we want to do.
  3. Those thought patterns aren’t permanent — noticing them and adopting a growth mindset or simple awareness practices can loosen their hold and change behavior.

The Barefoot Edition

Why is this interesting? • 482 implied HN points • 17 Jun 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Running barefoot can help you feel the ground better and improve your natural running form. This connection can reduce the chances of getting hurt.
  2. Proprioception, or your body's awareness of its position and movement, is enhanced when you run without bulky shoes. With less padding, you get better feedback from the ground.
  3. Even though many places don't allow running barefoot, it's possible to find ways to get that natural feel for your feet, like running on grass or sand when you can.

Improve your focus, productivity and mood by recreating the sun

Metabolic Repair • 19 implied HN points • 21 Aug 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Bright lighting can help you focus and feel more alert. If your workspace is too dark, try adding more light to boost your mood and productivity.
  2. Sunlight has a specific lighting quality, so using bright, focused lights can mimic that effect. Using movie spotlights is a great way to simulate sunlight indoors.
  3. The best setup involves placing a strong light behind you to mimic the sun's position. This will help light up your workspace without glaring on your screens.

Obsessions of Self and Synapse

Deep Fix • 628 implied HN points • 03 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Narcissism and addiction exist on spectrums that everyone falls on.
  2. It is healthy to have a degree of self-interest but becomes a problem when it becomes extreme.
  3. Social media addiction is a real issue that narrows perspectives and can lead to severe consequences.

I am addicted to my phone

Trying In Public • 279 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Feeling constantly compelled to check your phone can make everything seem urgent and overwhelming.
  2. Social media can feed insecurities and comparison, leading to a focus on external validation.
  3. Setting boundaries with technology can help you reconnect with the present moment and your own thoughts.

Aus Day Weekend

Ben’s Blog 🏉 🧠🧑‍💻 • 21 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Reframe struggle as nervous system health, not just a clinical mental health label, so sleep, exercise, routine and community become clear, practical steps people can take.
  2. Everyday social places and hospitality venues can create safety and connection, making them powerful parts of the solution for people who are isolated or struggling.
  3. Early, simple actions—regular shared movement, predictable routines, and honest conversations—can prevent crises and build toward a suicide-free community.

You Can't Trust Any Part Of This Dystopia If You Want Health And Sanity

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1685 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Be mindful of what you consume - from food to media - in a society driven by profit over wellbeing.
  2. Exercise caution and selectivity with what you let into your life and body, such as pharmaceuticals and products, in a profit-centered society.
  3. In a civilization filled with toxicity, prioritize critical examination to maintain health and sanity.

Moldavite Wants to Be Free

Default Wisdom • 218 implied HN points • 27 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Wellbeing
  1. People often seek out magical experiences to feel special and connected. This can lead to a desire for community and belief in things like crystals and spiritual practices.
  2. Relationships with charismatic individuals can deeply influence our beliefs and choices, sometimes even affecting our mental health and decisions regarding medication.
  3. Even when someone recognizes the flaws in their beliefs or experiences, the search for meaning and understanding often continues. It's a journey of exploration, even if that exploration sometimes feels empty.

The Profound Pleasure of Physical Tasks

The Analog Family • 319 implied HN points • 16 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Wellbeing
  1. Doing physical tasks can bring a lot of joy. It often feels satisfying to work with your hands and see real results from your efforts.
  2. Many people feel tired or unfulfilled after long periods of only using screens. Engaging in hands-on activities can help us feel more connected to ourselves and the world around us.
  3. There is a real need to create and use our hands. Participating in craft or physical hobbies can boost our emotional well-being and give us a sense of achievement.

Can Therapy Be Bad For You?

Are You Okay? • 339 implied HN points • 01 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Therapy may not work for everyone - some people may not see benefits from psychotherapy.
  2. Therapy effectiveness depends on willingness to challenge thoughts and behaviors, establish trust with the therapist, and be open to change.
  3. Acceptance, awareness, and taking agency are crucial in making therapy successful.

A victim of the cult of optimization and productivity

Pinch of Dirt • 176 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Questioning the need for constant productivity and optimization is important for self-reflection.
  2. Physical activities like running can be enjoyable and beneficial when connected to personal goals beyond changing body size.
  3. Consistent habits like yoga can be maintained through daily practice, but it's also important to allow for flexibility and rest.

Bro time matters

Of Boys and Men • 290 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Wellbeing
  1. Men benefit from spending time with each other, and male friendships are important for their well-being. It's good for men to have their own spaces to hang out and connect.
  2. Women generally have more favorable views about all-female gatherings compared to all-male ones. This shows a difference in how people view the positivity of gender-specific social groups.
  3. While some worry that men can encourage bad behavior when together, the truth is that male friendships can help reduce isolation and support better mental health.

summer break

bookbear express • 115 implied HN points • 11 Jul 25
🏝 Travel Wellbeing
  1. Traveling to Europe can bring a unique sense of relaxation and wellbeing. It's a vivid contrast to everyday stress.
  2. Feeling truly relaxed while traveling is rare and special; it's important to cherish those moments.
  3. Multiple trips to the same place can yield different experiences, showing how personal feelings can change over time.

The creative imperative

Erifili • 159 implied HN points • 03 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Everyone has some level of creativity within them, it's just a matter of prioritizing and nurturing it.
  2. Engaging in creative expression, like writing or art, is crucial for personal growth, self-awareness, and emotional catharsis.
  3. Being intentional about making time for creative expression is essential for overall wellbeing, self-discovery, and personal fulfillment.

The Big Lie About Success

The Leadership Lab • 118 implied HN points • 14 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellbeing
  1. Success does not guarantee enduring happiness - beware of the Arrival Fallacy that assumes achieving a goal will bring lasting joy.
  2. Believing in the Arrival Fallacy can lead to a constant feeling of something missing, as true happiness requires a different mindset than just striving for success.
  3. Use the Arrival Fallacy as a short-term motivator, but focus on developing contentment and happiness for long-term well-being.