pleasurable

Social interactions prompt the brain to release “rewarding chemicals,” which is why engaging with others feels intrinsically pleasurable rather than burdensome.

Many studies over the past 25 years have shown that high-sugar and other highly pleasurable foods – often foods that are ultraprocessed – act on these brain networks in ways that are similar to other addictive substances.

Drinking a cold beer at a sporting event is one of the most pleasurable experiences a human can experience, outside of watching the Dallas Cowboys blow a fourth-quarter lead.

Queuing for "pleasurable activities" - like shopping for luxury items, a bargain, or delicious food - creates a "distinctly different" feeling to queuing for something more mundane like buying your groceries, she says.

“When you say ‘reading for pleasure,’ you make the assumption that reading is pleasurable,” Laughlin said.