How to Increase Happiness & Track What Your Brain Loves with Wearable Tech

In today's fast-paced world, burnout and loneliness are on the rise. One in three adults worldwide reports feeling lonely, and in the U.S., nearly one in four lacks social and emotional support. As a result, more people than ever are searching for ways to increase happiness, boost dopamine naturally, and optimize their emotional well-being.

At the same time, millions of people are using smartwatches, wearable devices, and wellness apps to track their steps, sleep, and heart rate. But what if we could go deeper—beyond physical health—to uncover the daily experiences that truly make us thrive?

That’s where SIX comes in.

SIX pairs 20 years of neuroscience research with everyday wearables to help surface the moments in your day when your brain and body are fully engaged. Instead of relying on guesswork, SIX uses real-time emotional fitness tracking to reveal which activities throughout your day naturally spark motivation, connection, and fulfillment—so you can intentionally create a life that feels better, not just looks better on paper.

By understanding what fuels your brain’s peak moments (which SIX identifies as Key Moments), you can build a personalized dopamine menu—a science-backed approach to structuring your day around the activities that boost happiness, emotional well-being, and connection. Whether you want to feel more energized, increase dopamine naturally, or optimize your daily routine, SIX helps you make small, data-driven changes that add up to a happier, more fulfilling life.

What Is a Dopamine Menu?

A dopamine menu is a curated list of activities designed to trigger dopamine release, improving mood, motivation, and overall happiness. Dopamine is the brain’s natural reward chemical, released when we experience something enjoyable—reinforcing behaviors that make us feel good. By creating a “menu,” you can quickly choose from your list when you need a pick me up, big or small, bypassing decision paralysis that can happen on your busiest days. 

However, not all dopamine-boosting activities are created equal. Scrolling social media or binge-watching Netflix may provide a quick dopamine hit, but they rarely lead to lasting fulfillment. On the other hand, activities like movement, deep social connection, and creative work create long-term happiness and emotional fitness.

A science-backed dopamine menu helps you:

• Track  drivers of happiness and well-being with real-time data from a wearable device

• Discover what truly boosts your mood and energy (not just what feels good in the moment)

• Balance short-term dopamine spikes with long-term fulfillment

• Optimize your daily routine for more meaningful moments

SIX takes the guesswork out of understanding what truly energizes and fulfills you by measuring real neurochemical responses in your body. Instead of following generic self-care advice, you’ll know exactly which activities help your brain thrive.

How to Create Your Dopamine Menu with SIX

Building your dopamine menu with SIX is simple, and the app takes the guesswork out of the process. Here’s how to get started:

• Identify What Actually Makes You Happy

  SIX  helps you track dopamine and oxytocin release in real-time, revealing the activities that create genuine joy and fulfillment. Whether it's a morning walk, deep conversation, creative work, or time in nature, SIX helps uncover your Key Moments—the personal experiences that truly move the needle for your happiness—so you can add them to your dopamine menu. 

  
  

  Learn from SIX founder Dr. Paul Zak about the 5 science-backed pillars of happiness:
  
  

  
  

  By understanding these key pillars and tracking your brain and body’s real-time moments of thriving, SIX helps you see which experiences actually increase happiness, rather than just providing a temporary dopamine hit.

• Balance Quick Wins & Lasting Happiness

  Some activities give instant dopamine boosts, like music, exercise, or checking off a to-do list, while others—such as deep work, mindfulness, and quality time with loved ones—build long-term emotional fitness.

  SIX helps you balance both by identifying the moments when your brain is most emotionally engaged, allowing you to structure your daily routine in a way that optimizes your mood, motivation, and energy.

• Optimize Social Connection for Oxytocin & Happiness

  Happiness isn’t just about dopamine. Oxytocin—often called the “connection hormone” or “love hormone”—plays a huge role in emotional well-being.

  SIX tracks and reveals the impact of social interactions, so you can prioritize real-life connections that increase trust, bonding, and long-term happiness.

  Research shows that people who experience at least six emotionally meaningful moments per day report higher well-being and fulfillment. SIX helps you find and repeat these moments—so you can cultivate more happiness daily.

• Track, Reflect & Adjust Your Dopamine Menu

  Your dopamine menu should evolve as you discover what works best for your brain and body. SIX makes it easy to track which activities bring the most happiness, identify trends in your well-being over time, and make small, intentional adjustments to improve your emotional fitness. By continuously refining your routine, you can create more opportunities for fulfillment and connection in your daily life.

  Now, with SIX, you can do the same for happiness and fulfillment—by measuring real-time brain and body responses to the things you do every day.

Why Track Happiness Like You Track Steps & Sleep?

People track their steps, heart rate, and sleep patterns to improve their physical health, but what about emotional well-being? Happiness isn’t random—it’s measurable.

Wearable devices have already transformed how we monitor health, helping people:

• Improve sleep and energy levels

• Increase daily movement and reduce stress

• Monitor heart rate and emotional recovery

Now, with SIX, you can track happiness and fulfillment just as easily—by measuring your brain and body’s real-time responses to the activities you do every day.

Your Happiness Blueprint Starts Here

This International Day of Happiness, take control of your well-being. Build your personalized dopamine menu with SIX and start tracking what truly makes you thrive.

Download SIX today and start measuring the moments that matter most for long-term happiness and emotional well-being!