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<\/p>\nTHE latest wellness trend doesn\u2019t need you to be rich, flexible or fit. <\/p>\n
It just requires you to reconnect to a human emotion that can get lost in the daily slog of life: awe. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This occurs when you are exposed to something so beautiful or wonderful that you are moved, and your sense of the world changes.<\/p>\n
It sounds whacky, but in simple terms, it\u2019s that feeling when you look at a starry sky and suddenly feel very small but full of amazement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is hard to imagine a single thing that is better for the mind and body than finding five minutes of awe,\u201d says Dr Dacher Keltner, author of Awe: The New Science Of Everyday Wonder And How It Can Change Your Life. <\/p>\n
\u201cPeople interested in wellbeing have started to think about its benefits for families, work, organisations and schools.\u201d <\/p>\n
Best of all, it\u2019s free and you can find it in the seemingly dull everyday.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAwe is the emotion we feel when we encounter vast mysteries we don\u2019t understand,\u201d says Dr Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. <\/p>\n Still confused? Imagine looking at the Milky Way or Stonehenge.<\/p>\n Human interactions can also create a sense of awe, whether that be joining in singing with a crowd at a festival or a football match, or holding a newborn baby. <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAwe is closely tied to experiences that define who we are,\u201d says Dr Keltner.\u00a0<\/p>\n IT\u2019S A HAPPINESS BOOSTER<\/strong><\/p>\n Even tiny flashes of awe have been found to improve mental wellbeing. <\/p>\n \u201cBrief moments of awe lead to greater happiness, less stress, more creativity, reduced loneliness and a stronger sense of community,\u201d explains Dr Keltner. <\/p>\n Researchers in Portugal found that a 30-minute walk in a park can stop ruminative thinking \u2013 AKA when you\u2019re stuck in a negative thought cycle \u2013 as a result of feeling moved by nature.\u00a0<\/p>\n IT CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON<\/strong><\/p>\n There is evidence that experiencing awe makes people more kind and generous, as it encourages them to focus less on themselves and to look outward instead. <\/p>\n For example, one study reported by the British Psychological Society found that people who watched an awe-inducing video clip were more willing to help others \u2013 even if they didn\u2019t score highly in personality traits like compassion and kindness. <\/p>\n There is also research to show it makes people more environmentally conscious. <\/p>\n One study by Cornell University suggested that children who are able to play in the wild before age 11 grow up to actively care about nature and their surroundings.<\/p>\n IT CAN ACTIVATE YOUR BODY\u2019S \u2018REST AND DIGEST\u2019 SYSTEM<\/strong><\/p>\n Awe can have a physical effect on the body \u2013 one of its more obvious manifestations is a wave of goosebumps. <\/p>\n But awe can, in fact, calm you down, too. Researchers at Arizona State University found that looking at awe-inspiring images increased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, which makes us feel more relaxed. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve found that awe can also lead to greater levels of oxytocin \u2013 AKA the body\u2019s love hormone \u2013 as well as elevated activation of the vagus nerve, which facilitates great heart health,\u201d says Dr Keltner.<\/p>\n Awe is easy to find on holiday, when you\u2019re in an amazing location or watching a sunset, but what about everyday life? <\/p>\n \u201cSome people believe awe is rare and it can only be felt on lavish trips,\u201d says Dr Keltner. \u201cBut, in fact, it\u2019s all around us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN<\/strong><\/p>\n It is possible to find amazement daily, but as transformational coach Gillian McMichael says, you won\u2019t find it on your phone. \u201cStop relying on social media or forms of technology that disconnect us from awe,\u201d she warns. <\/p>\n \u201cAwe is available to us all, and at any time. All we need to do is be present and become a compassionate observer of what\u2019s going on within and around us.\u201d <\/p>\n To encourage less screen time, get rid of notifications or set daily limits with pop-up reminders using Screen Time on iPhone or Digital Wellbeing on Android. <\/p>\n Put your phone on Flight Mode during a walk, or leave it at home if you feel safe to do so.\u00a0<\/p>\n GET OUTSIDE<\/strong><\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, one of the easiest ways to feel awe and wonder is to appreciate the nature around you. <\/p>\n \u201cGo outside and notice the sounds of the universe. There\u2019s lots of it out there \u2013 whether that\u2019s the river flowing, the birds chirping or the wind blowing \u2013 sometimes we just fail to notice it,\u201d says Gillian. <\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be in the countryside or the seaside to do this either \u2013 simply look up and take a glimpse of the sky overhead.\u201d<\/p>\n Merlin Bird ID is a game-changer app for spotting birds and recognising their songs, while you can learn to identify constellations at night with the app Star Walk 2.\u00a0<\/p>\n READ A BIOGRAPHY\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Human beings can be a great source of awe. \u201cWe are wired to be inspired by the goodness of other people, most typically ordinary people,\u201d says Dr Keltner. <\/p>\n \u201cRead about the life of someone whose courage or kindness has inspired you with a biography.\u201d <\/p>\n Try Butterfly by Yusra Mardini, who saved fellow refugees from drowning, before becoming an Olympic swimmer. <\/p>\n Podcasts can also be a source of inspiring stories. <\/p>\n Try The Diary Of A CEO, in which Steven Bartlett interviews celebrities and business owners on how they overcame challenges on their journey to success.\u00a0<\/p>\n REMEMBER HOW SHORT LIFE IS<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever seen a baby being born or said goodbye to someone dying, you may have experienced awe by witnessing life being brought into the world or leaving it. <\/p>\n \u201cNew studies are finding that contemplation on the cycle of life leads to people feeling a greater sense of humanity with others,\u201d says Dr Keltner. <\/p>\n But these events obviously don\u2019t happen every day. <\/p>\n So watch a film or TV series that triggers gratitude for life, such as Disney\u2019s uplifting Coco, set during Mexico\u2019s Day Of The Dead festival.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rk5f0j-young-fatigued-woman-strong-828500938.jpg\")
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