Hidden Brain

Waking Up Your Spiritual Brain: Part 1

People who have a lot of awe in their lives tend to have lower levels of inflammatory cytokines, which are markers of stress and immune activation. Awe seems to quiet the self — that internal narrative we have about ourselves, our problems, our concerns — and when the self gets quieter, people tend to feel more connected to others and to the world around them.

Hidden Brain

A Secret Source of Connection

Most of us think of emotional support as something we offer through words — by listening carefully, saying the right things, or sharing a person's burden. But researcher Michael Poulin has found that giving help to others, not receiving it, is what buffers people against the harmful effects of stress. In study after study, he found that people who helped others were less likely to die than those who didn't, even after accounting for their overall health.

Hidden Brain

A Secret Source of Connection

Most of us think of emotional support as something we offer through words — by listening carefully, offering advice, or saying just the right thing. But researchers have found that simply being in the presence of someone who cares about us can reduce our experience of pain and stress, even when that person says nothing at all.