Awe-inspiring moments
‘make time slow down’

Regular “awesome” experiences may also improve our mental health and make us nicer people, claim psychologists. The findings raise the prospect of “awe therapy” to overcome the stressful effects of fast-paced modern life.

Awe is the emotion felt when encountering something so vast and overwhelming it alters one’s mental perspective.

Examples might include experiencing a breathtaking view of the Grand Canyon or taking in the ethereal beauty of the Northern Lights.

The new research found that by fixing the mind to the present moment, awe seems to slow down perceived time.

Studies on groups of volunteers showed that experiencing awe made people feel they had more time to spare. This in turn led them to be more patient, less materialistic, and more willing to give up time to help others.

Writing in the journal Psychological Science, the scientists said: “Our studies... demonstrated that awe can be elicited by a walk down memory lane, brief story, or even a 60-second commercial.

“Therefore, awe-eliciting experiences might offer one effective solution to the feelings of time-starvation that plague so many people in modern life.”