Live Better, Love Smarter: The Ultimate Reading List to Boost Your Health and Happiness

8 new books on the science of better living.

There are a few key topics on which everyone seems to be an armchair expert. As luck would have it, they’re also the subjects that matter most: health, happiness, and meaning.

So if you’re tired of hearing conflicting advice from various friends and family members, check out the eight remarkable books below to discover what the true professionals say about cultivating a long and fulfilling life.

‘Til Stress Do Us Part: How to Heal the #1 Issue in Our Relationships

By Elizabeth Earnshaw

What if the problem isn’t your partner―it’s stress? This relatable and empowering guide offers indispensable tools to stress-proof your relationship. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Elizabeth Earnshaw, in the Next Big Idea App

Directional Living: A Transformational Guide to Fulfillment in Work and Life

By Megan Hellerer

Directional Living is both a philosophy and a practical guide to creating not just a great life, but your great life—one full of genuine purpose, meaning, ease and authenticity. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Megan Hellerer, in the Next Big Idea App

The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Big Questions of Midlife and Beyond

By Debra Whitman

Whether you are approaching fifty, into your later years, or caring for someone who is, you’ll find a wealth of wisdom in these pages. The Second Fifty is an indispensable guide for living well in the twenty-first century. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Debra Whitman, in the Next Big Idea App

Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health

By Casey Means, with Calley Means

Good Energy offers a new, cutting-edge understanding of the true cause of illness that until now has remained hidden. It will help you optimize your ability to live well and stay well at every age. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Casey Means, in the Next Big Idea App

Secure Relating: Holding Your Own in an Insecure World

By Sue Marriott and Ann Kelley

Two mental health professionals integrate modern attachment theory, relational neuroscience, and current cultural context to create a hopeful framework for deeper and more permanent change, growth, and connection in all types of relationships. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by co-authors Sue Marriott and Ann Kelley, in the Next Big Idea App

Rewire: Break the Cycle, Alter Your Thoughts and Create Lasting Change (Your Neurotoolkit for Everyday Life)

By Nicole Vignola

Change your mind to change your life—discover the neuroscience of a better you in this revolutionary book that teaches you how to rewire your brain to achieve peak mental well-being. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Nicole Vignola, in the Next Big Idea App

New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That’s Got It Wrong

By Stephanie Harrison

Well-being expert and social media sensation Stephanie Harrison of @newhappyco reveals the counterintuitive secrets to happiness and provides a practical guide to help us all learn how to live a happy life. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Stephanie Harrison, in the Next Big Idea App

How to Love Someone Without Losing Your Mind: Forget the Fairy Tale and Get Real

By Todd Baratz

A sanity-saving guide that cuts through the sky-high expectations of modern love and helps you build healthier and more fulfilling relationships, from the creator of viral Instagram account @YourDiagnonsense. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Todd Baratz, in the Next Big Idea App