What is the link between meditation and happiness?
Meditation can really boost your happiness by helping you feel more positive and less stressed. Studies show it changes your brain in good ways, making joy last longer. For example, one big review found that loving-kindness meditation increases compassion and builds happiness over time. Buddhist monks, who meditate a lot, often show the highest happiness levels in research, like in brain scans of monk Matthieu Ricard.
Buddhist Monks as the Happiest
Brain scans by neuroscientist Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin showed that French Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard has the largest capacity for happiness ever recorded. When he meditated on compassion, his brain produced super high levels of gamma waves, linked to joy, attention, and learning—way more than average people. This earned him the title “happiest man in the world” in media, based on tests while he meditated.
How Meditation Makes Monks Happier
Davidson’s research on long-time meditators like Ricard (over 30 years of practice) found that daily meditation rewires the brain for more calm and joy. It boosts areas for positive emotions and reduces stress hormones, leading to lasting happiness. Practicing Buddhists in general are happier than average, with compassion meditation improving health and well-being.
Brain Changes from Meditation
In studies, monks showed big shifts in brain activity toward happiness after meditating. For instance, Ricard’s scans revealed meditation “completely changes your brain,” increasing empathy and reducing anxiety or depression traits. Even short sessions (15-20 minutes) can start this, but monks’ long practice makes them stand out as some of the happiest.
Broader Happiness Boosts
A study with over 1,200 people linked mindfulness meditation to more happiness by giving a sense of purpose. In workplaces, loving-kindness meditation raised daily positive feelings and life satisfaction. Brain scans after eight weeks of meditation showed higher happiness and better immunity.
Staying Present for Joy
An app study with 15,000 people found that when your mind wanders (which happens 47% of the time), you’re less happy—meditation helps you stay focused and feel better. Monks look happier even in videos after retreats, showing the effects are real and noticeable.
Overall, starting with 10-20 minutes a day of meditation, like the compassion type monks use, can help anyone feel happier—just like these studies on Buddhist practitioners show.
Marianne Love
Principal Clinical Psychologist
Aspire Health & Psychology
