What Your Body Knows About Happiness: How to Use Your Body to Change Your Mind

The modern belief that joy originates in the mind discounts the body’s role in well-being, according to this persuasive guide from novelist Kaplan (The Gratitude Diaries). Arguing that “happiness isn’t exclusively a conscious decision,” she details how physical signals—reactions to sensory cues, hormones that affect mood—are translated by the brain into emotions. As modern technology continues to promote virtual rather than face-to-face interaction, people have grown increasingly disconnected from their bodies, viewing them as a burden “rather than a partner in making us happy.” Kaplan shows readers how to better read physical signals, find healthy ways to address them, and implement such body-centered practices as surrounding oneself “with soothing objects that bring physical pleasure” (a steaming cup of coffee, a fuzzy sweater). Casting a wide net, the author cites a wealth of illuminating research on why the body reacts as it does, noting, for instance, that the visual system triggers emotional responses to architectural styles—gentle curves and fractal-inspired design patterns that are reminiscent of nature inspire more joy than brutalist, utilitarian buildings. Her commonsense suggestions may not be groundbreaking, but they’re sound and easily implemented. This is a worthy addition to the recent wave of books on the mind-body connection. (Jan.)