Caught up in schoolwork and hectic schedules, students at Stanford can find it difficult to focus on personal well-being. Stanford’s 1-unit class MED 130: “The Practice of Happiness,” approaches the broad and abstract topic of happiness through practical techniques for relaxation and stress management.

“The kids here are probably some of the busiest in the country,” said Debanti Sengupta Ph.D. ’13 P.D. ’14, the course’s lead instructor and a postdoctoral scholar at the School of Medicine.

“Achievement is fantastic, but sometimes we can be more productive when we take time to step back,” she added. “So it’s especially important for this community.”

Stanford has offered MED 130 for five years in partnership with YesPlus, a national organization that helps universities create courses on happiness strategies. Stanford’s class consists of an evening session held once a week, as well as a mandatory four-day retreat in mid-October.

Students not enrolled in the course can apply to attend the retreat for no credit, and according to Sengupta, the class size usually doubles during the retreat period.

According to the class website, over 300 students have participated in the program since it began at Stanford.

Breath work and meditation are among the practical techniques for a happier life taught in MED 130.

“We learn a lot about food; we learn a lot about exercise; but we don’t know a lot about breathing, even though it’s something we do all the time,” said Marshall Bennett M.A. ‘09, the assistant instructor. “It’s the first thing we do when we’re born, the last thing we do before we pass away. Having a class that explores that makes sense.”

On the first day of class last Wednesday, guest instructor Julia Tang discussed the relationship between breath and emotion and explained that when we are angry, our breath quickens. When we are happy, our breath becomes deeper and slower. Given this connection, breath can help us regulate our emotions, Tang said.

Sengupta then led a breathing exercise called Bhastrika, which means “bellows breath” in Sanskrit. With chairs arranged in a circle, students closed their eyes and practiced taking quick breaths through their noses, while raising and lowering their arms as if to pump air in and out of their bodies.

Next, Tang guided the class through a 15-minute meditation, periodically asking students to pay attention to specific parts of their bodies, their thoughts or their breathing. Much of the time was spent in reflective silence, and students remarked on their calmness afterward.

“These meditations will be deepened as the course goes on,” Tang said. “It becomes easier.”

Discussion is also an important part of the class. Students spoke in pairs about their sources of stress and strategies for dealing with it and then shared those techniques with the group. Their answers included dancing, list-making and tackling objectives one at a time.

MED 130’s size makes for an intimate conversation – this quarter’s class has just seven students, including five freshmen, one senior and one Ph.D. student, all of whom had to fill out an application to get into the class.

“Students take away breath work and meditation techniques but also a sense of community, which is really something that we’re actively trying to build,” Sengupta said.

Sanjay Siddhanti ’16, who took MED 130 for credit last spring quarter after hearing positive reviews from friends, also spoke about the community he gained from the course – in particular, through the four day retreat, which culminated in a service project carried out on campus. Siddhanti’s group walked around Tresidder with a “Free Hugs” sign, handing out flowers and encouraging acts of kindness.

“I think this is really the type of class that you can’t explain in a short paragraph on Explore Courses or SimpleEnroll,” he said. “One thing that I didn’t expect was that even though I only spent a weekend with these people, I’ve developed some really close relationships with people that I’ve maintained, and I feel really lucky for that.”

Siddhanti reflected that although he considered himself a happy person going into the class, he still found it a valuable experience.

“I learned that it’s important to be aware of what’s going on in your mind and body, because that’s the first step to being able to improve those things,” he said. “It’s been really helpful for me to take a little bit of time every day to just reflect, and that’s something I plan to carry with me even after I leave Stanford.”

Current MED 130 students said they hoped the class would be both enjoyable and applicable to their lives.  Fifth-year Ph.D. student Tongda Zhang M.S. ’13, who usually takes technical courses, said he wanted to take this course to have a fun class.

Freshman Marilu Bravo ’19 said she is trying to avoid the sort of academic stress she felt in high school.

“I don’t think [happiness] can be taught,” Bravo said. “But I think people can help you to find the positive aspects of your life — like they can help you to find reasons to be happy.”

Similarly, Sengupta believes in giving students tools and habits to control their own happiness.

“I’ve also been interested for a long time in student mental health and wellbeing – particularly in bringing preventative approaches to the student community so that they can take their happiness into their own hands,” she said.

“Not everyone is in need of a psychiatrist, but all of go through ups and downs,” she added. “It’s very important to have strategies that one can use on one’s own to take care of ourselves.”

Contact Hannah Knowles at hknowles ‘at’ stanford.edu.