Harness the power of awe!

Experts say savoring a sense of wonder can lift your spirits and improve your health. Here’s how to invite true awesomeness into your life!

Gazing at a sublime sunrise. Losing yourself in a beautiful piece of music. Watching in amazement as the little ones in your life discover something new. When experiencing the extraordinary in the everyday stops us in our tracks and takes our breath away, we’re transported by a sense of awe—a little word with big implications.

Sparked by a perception of vastness or wonder, this transcendent sensation is one of the most powerful positive emotions, triggering a cascade of mind and body benefits. Indeed, by making us feel smaller in comparison to the world around us, awe gives us greater perspective on our lives, dialing down stress chemicals and boosting joy.

“My lab has found that when people view awe-inducing stimuli, such as a stunning landscape, the fight-or-flight response decreases, lowering heart rate,” reveals psychologist Michelle Shiota, Ph.D. “This is striking because most positive emotions involve cardiac arousal. In fact, when we ask people to think about a time when they experienced awe, they say they felt detached

from their day-to-day concerns and more aware of their connection to the people and world around them.”

Perhaps even more surprising is that this “super emotion” may add super-healthy years to your life. “Awe is associated with lower levels of interleukin-6, a key marker of inflammation linked with chronic health conditions such as cancer,” reveals David B. Yaden, a research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. In other words, one day soon, along with veggies and exercise, doctors may prescribe awe-worthy experiences to enhance your well-being!

And the great news is, there’s no need to, say, travel to the Grand Canyon to spark a soul-soaring, stress-melting sense of wonder. Read on for easy ways to combat common tensions with a healthy dose of inspiration.