Why We’re Obsessed with Nostalgia?
16.03.2022
From 80s movies to 90s parties, we all love a little bit of nostalgia. If you are in your 30s these days, those decades were probably the most care-free time of your lives. Of course, life is meant to be lived in the present, but occasional flashbacks can do wonders for you both mentally and physically. It even turns out that there are some scientific facts behind it all.
It warms our hearts and our bodies too!
In 2012, a series of scientific studies found that listening to nostalgic music caused participants’ ambient temperature to rise. In other words, nostalgia literally made them warmer.
It brings us together
Since nostalgic events are often associated with certain people, nostalgia increases feelings of social connection to others by thinking of fond times in our lives or relationships.
It relieves stress
Memories from the past can serve as reminders that life wasn’t always so difficult and it can always return back that way in the future.
It encourages healthy behaviors
Childhood is usually when we were healthiest emotionally. By remembering the things we did as a kid, we can reinstate healthy emotions, such as the feeling of being loved or a sense of security, and also doing the mind-blowingly fun activities we enjoyed as kids. For instance, if 80s or 90s adults start to feel nostalgic remembering how much fun they had riding bicycles, running and walking everywhere in their childhood, bike sales and gym memberships can suddenly boom.
It makes our lives more meaningful
According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, nostalgia can specifically help people who deal with a fear of mortality. By making individuals feel as though their lives are meaningful and valuable, nostalgia can remind us all that it’s possible to overcome hardships and this can also give our lives purpose.
It gives us hope
Nostalgia can remind us that there’s good in the world, and it helps us look forward to the future. Just thinking about nostalgic words or listening to songs that induce nostalgia can put your faith in a brighter future. Who doesn’t fill with hope when you listen Don’t Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin or Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles?
That’s why we love nostalgia. Of course, it often brings us sadness as well. But when nostalgia is used in a healthy way, it can assist us with moving forward in a new situation.
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