A study in the journal Emotion (as reported in The New York Times) suggests that the sense of awe might be beneficial to your health. As we all know, awe is one of the upbeat moods, along with joy, pride, contentment, enthusiasm, inspiration, amusement, compassion, and love. Most of us have probably suspected that staying upbeat keeps us healthier, but we might not have known why. One reason, according to the study, is that upbeat emotions reduce the levels of a cytokine in the body known as interleukin-6 (usually referred to as IL-6), which promotes chronic inflammation in body tissues and is associated with a variety of serious illnesses.

Subjects participating in the study were given tests to identify their moods. Those experiencing negative emotions such as depression, anxiety, shame, and hostility had higher levels of IL-6. Those experiencing positive moods had lower levels. Most surprising was that those subjects who had recently experienced a sense of awe had the lowest levels of IL-6, and the more often they had experienced it, the lower the level.

Senior author of the study Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at Berkeley, told reporters that awe is generally defined as an emotion that passes “the goose-bump test.” It comes from “listening to music…watching a sunset or attending a political rally or seeing kids play.”

What gives you goose bumps? Where do you go to get your daily dose?

*

Ken Scott continues to make the world a healthier place with his amazing photos from Michigan’s Leelanau County. For a great example of pure awesomeness, see his time-lapse of an aurora display over Leelanau on YouTube. Also check out his website and Facebook page.