2026/2027 Duke Monthly Well-being Sessions (12PM Eastern on the third Thursday of each month)
August 20, 2026 | Evidence for a variety of minimally effective doses of well-being: Research and Tools to Share
Presented by Dr. Bryan Sexton
September 18, 2025 | The Funny Thing about Well-being: Evidence for Humor
Presented by Dr. J. Bryan Sexton
Humor works – it’s good for our marriages, our physiologies, and our ability to bounce back with enhanced perspective. In this session we will share recent evidence and a popular tool for cultivating the ability to find more things funny.
October 15, 2026 | Evidence-based Sleep Hygiene: Advanced Insights on Rest for the Weary
Presented by Dr. J. Bryan Sexton
Building on our wildly popular “Science of Sleep” session, this session goes deeper, with the latest findings to guide us through getting the best rest possible, and how to manage fatigue when it is inevitable.
November 19, 2026 | Relationship Well-being: The Science and Practice of How Other People Matter
Presented by Dr. J. Bryan Sexton
This session describes how cultivating meaningful relationships is a health behavior, and how loneliness puts us at risk for lower satisfaction at work and in life, poorer immune system functioning, and even reduced longevity. Importantly, it is the quality, not the quantity, of our relationships that appears to matter most.
December 17, 2026 | Enhancing Well-Being: Survival of the Kindest
Presented by Dr. J. Bryan Sexton
We summarize the research to explain that there are demonstrably powerful benefits to being altruistic, and provide a framework for how to use Random Acts of Kindness at the individual and work setting levels.
January 21, 2027 | Emotional Exhaustion Before and After a Pandemic: Bite-Sized and Evidence-Based Workforce Well-Being
Presented by Dr. J. Bryan Sexton
Emotional Exhaustion rates in healthcare are at historically high levels. In this session we will demonstrate what happens in our heads as our well-being is compromised, and how simple evidence-based solutions are effective and can even be enjoyable.
February 18, 2027 | Neuroscience of Hope
Presented by Dr. J. Bryan Sexton
This session demonstrates the evidence behind optimism as a muscle that can be strengthened, and provides a surprisingly simple intervention for cultivating hope.
March 18, 2027 | Best Reset Button Available: The Science of Sleep with Tips and Tricks
Presented by Dr. J. Bryan Sexton
How long is a good nap? At what point is caffeine going to impact sleep quality? How important is a consistent sleep onset time? The answers might surprise you. Here we recognize, anticipate and respond to human limitations associated with sleep deprivation.
April 15, 2027 | Cultivating Well-being with Three Good Things
Presented by Dr. J. Bryan Sexton
The most popular of our well-being tools is back this month. This simple, enjoyable and remarkably effective tool can be used for 10-15 days, with measurable improvements across a variety of resilience metrics that endure for over a year.
May 20, 2027 | The Surprising Science of Cultivating Awe & Wonder for Well-being
Presented by Dr. J. Bryan Sexton
If you ever found yourself staring at a sunset, cloud formation or other scene from nature, you know about the powerful positive emotion of Awe. The good news is that it isn’t just amazing, it is restorative for our feelings of depletion and even improves our immune system function (this session is a crowd favorite)!
June 17, 2027 | Bite-sized Gratitude for Well-being: New Evidence for an Old Practice
Presented by Dr. Bryan Sexton
The data are clear: Appreciating others matters. We demonstrate what it means to get a minimally effective dose of gratitude, review the science, and try the bite-sized tool in real time. Strategies to boost gratitude are reviewed for working this concept into a day of overwhelm.
July 15, 2027 | Work-Life Integration: Myths, Metrics and Methods
Presented by Dr. Bryan Sexton
Harmony between our work and personal lives is a dance that we often stumble through even when we are being deliberate. This session reviews how we spend our time at work, home, and during breaks and time off. There is no one-size fits all, but the available evidence is compelling and useful for crafting more integration and less conflict.
August 19, 2027 | Evidence for a variety of minimally effective doses of well-being: Research and Tools to Share
Presented by Dr. Bryan Sexton
Bonus Sessions Include:
Bite-Sized Mindfulness: Being Present in the Age of Distraction
Dealing with Difficult Colleagues: Assessing, Understanding and Improving Teamwork
