Awe Moments Reduce Daily Loneliness
A new longitudinal study suggests that intentionally seeking out "moments of awe"—experiences that inspire wonder, admiration, or amazement—can measurably reduce feelings of loneliness in daily life. Even during pandemic isolation, participants who regularly experienced awe reported stronger feelings of connection to others and the world around them. The findings reinforce the value of mindfulness practices that foster awe, whether through nature, art, or meaningful conversation.
- The study, published in the journal *Scientific Reports*, collected daily diary entries from 171 healthcare workers and 306 community members during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2020. - Psychologists define awe as an emotion experienced in the presence of something vast that challenges one's current understanding of the world. This can be triggered by nature, art, music, or even complex ideas. - Dacher Keltner, a leading researcher at UC Berkeley, has identified eight common "wonders of life" that elicit awe, including moral beauty (witnessing others' courage and kindness), collective effervescence (moving together in groups), and encounters with life and death. - Previous research has linked experiences of awe to a diminished sense of self, which in turn can increase prosocial behaviors like generosity, ethical decision-making, and helping others. - Physiologically, experiencing awe has been associated with lower levels of interleukin-6, a biomarker for inflammation, and can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps calm the body. - A separate study on "awe walks" found that older adults who took weekly 15-minute walks while intentionally cultivating a sense of awe reported increased positive emotions like compassion and gratitude compared to a control group. - Even brief or "micro" doses of awe, such as pausing to look at the sky or considering a complex technological marvel, can have measurable positive effects on emotional well-being. - The link between awe and reduced loneliness was partially explained by participants reporting stronger feelings of connection to nature on the days they experienced awe.
