Is joy always good for us?

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken try to get to the bottom of the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.

In this festive episode, they turn their attention to joy. What actually is joy, and how is it different from happiness or pleasure? Why do some people seem to feel it more intensely, and does that make them more vulnerable to the emotional lows that can follow? They also ask whether we should really be striving for joy all the time, and whether its very fleeting nature is part of what makes it valuable.

To help them untangle the science, psychology and meaning of joy, they’re joined by Professor Sophie Scott CBE, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

Guest: Professor Sophie Scott

Producer: Maia Miller-Lewis

Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar

Editor: Jo Rowntree

Researcher: Grace Revill

Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable

Social Media: Leon Gower

Digital Lead: Richard Berry

Composer: Phoebe McFarlane

Sound Design: Ruth Rainey

At the BBC:

Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith

Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4