The 40 BEST Health & Happiness Hacks I've Learned In 40 Years (My Annual Bday Episode!)

August 17, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The 40 Best Health & Happiness Hacks I've Learned In 40 Years

On her 40th birthday episode, Liz Moody shares four decades of lessons drawn from interviewing over 500 doctors and scientists, plus hard-won personal experience. The episode is a dense collection of practical, evidence-informed strategies for sleep, relationships, health, and mindset—each grounded in a specific mechanism or research finding rather than vague self-help.

Sleep, Evening Routines, and Automation

One of the most immediately actionable insights: go to bed an hour before you actually want to fall asleep. If your goal is to be asleep by 10 p.m., start your bedtime routine at 9 p.m. The logic is simple—teeth brushing, face washing, and reading all eat up time, so arriving at the bedroom door at 10:55 p.m. guarantees you'll be asleep later than planned.

Moody also recommends washing your face and brushing your teeth 30 minutes after you finish eating for the day. The 30-minute wait aligns with dentist guidelines, but the real trick is doing it early enough that fatigue doesn't become an excuse to skip it later. More broadly, she advises automating as much of your evening as possible because "any ability that you had to make good decisions or hard decisions earlier in the day is gone by the evening." Don't make evening habits a choice—make them automatic.

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What you'll learn

1 The 40 BEST Health & Happiness Hacks I've Learned In 40 Years
2 (00:30) **Go to bed an hour before you want to sleep** - If your goal is to be asleep at 10 PM, start your bedtime routine at 9 PM to account for all the tasks that push actual sleep later.
3 (00:52) **It is cool to try and to like things** - Stop pretending effort is uncool; nothing is effortless, and putting in the work is admirable.
4 (01:08) **Try to be warm, not interesting** - Research from Dr. Nick Eppley shows people judge you on warmth, not sparkle, so focus on smiling and making others feel comfortable.
5 (01:44) **Celebrate wins along the way** - Don't wait for big milestones; celebrating small progress keeps motivation alive in work, relationships, and personal growth.
6 (02:42) **Raspberries are top-tier anti-inflammatory foods** - A Stanford researcher confirmed raspberries fight inflammation, and Liz eats them with chocolate chips as a favorite snack.
7 (03:04) **You are capable of loving again after loss** - After losing her cat Bella, Liz thought the best love was behind her, but fostering kittens Moonbeam and Stardust showed her that love's shape changes but remains available.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Liz Moody

Show Notes

Hello, friends! It was my 40th birthday on Friday and every year around my birthday I share my favorite tips that have made me so much healthier and happier. I share science-backed, expert advice I’ve tested for healthy eating, exercise, habit formation, career success, relationship success, energy, and so much more! Whatever actionable tips you’re looking for, this episode has something for you!

Ready to uplevel every part of your life? Order Liz’s book 100 Ways to Change Your Life: The Science of Leveling Up Health, Happiness, Relationships & Success now!

Connect with Liz on Instagram @lizmoody or online at www.lizmoody.com. Subscribe to the substack by visiting https://lizmoody.substack.com/welcome. Buy our cute sweatshirts, conversation cards, and more at https://shop.lizmoody.com/.

To join The Liz Moody Podcast Club Facebook group, go to www.facebook.com/groups/thelizmoodypodcast.

Use our discount codes from our highly vetted and tested brand partners by visiting https://www.lizmoody.com/codes.

This episode is brought to you completely free thanks to the following podcast sponsors:

• LMNT: head to DrinkLMNT.com/Liz to get a FREE 8-count sample pack with any order.

• Seed: go to Seed.com/LizMoody and use code LIZMOODY to get 25% off your first month.

• Timeline: visit Timeline.com/Liz to save up to 39% off.

The Liz Moody Podcast cover art by Zack. The Liz Moody Podcast music by Alex Ruimy.

This podcast and website represents the opinions of Liz Moody and her guests to the show. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for information purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.

The Liz Moody Podcast Episode 457.

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