Positive emotions, especially the feeling of awe, have been linked to lower levels of inflammatory cytokines by a new study. The research suggests that the positive feeling from enjoying the beauty of nature or getting lost in a painting or symphony can actually help protect the body against heart disease, arthritis, depression, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Dacher Keltner, one of the study’s authors, said: “That awe, wonder and beauty promote healthier levels of cytokines suggests that the things we do to experience these emotions — a walk in nature, losing oneself in music, beholding art — have a direct influence upon health and life expectancy.” Across two different experiments, 200 people reported their emotions during the day, including the extent to which they felt:
Their cheeks were also swabbed to get a measure of the cytokine, Interleukin 6, which is a marker of inflammation. |