Inner peace is a deliberate state of psychological or spiritual calm even in the presence of stress. Despite negative happenings in the outside world, there are many ways in which people can seek to make their environments more peaceful. Let’s focus on three attainable ways to increase personal happiness that are backed with science.
- Listen to music you like. Sadly, the news is fraught with negative reports, from sensationalized crime stories to nasty political arguments. Turn off your television and listen to music you enjoy. Per SCL Health, “Research has found that when a subject listens to music that gives them the chills, it triggers a release of dopamine to the brain.” Dopamine is a naturally occurring “happy” chemical that is part of the human body reward system. The study shows that dopamine is not only released during peak musical moments, but neurology and nostalgia work hand in hand. Thus, hearing old favorite tunes can offer mood-boosting effects.
- Laugh a lot. Ever get a case of the giggles or laugh so hard your belly rolls? Laughter just might be the best medicine after all. Per the Mayo Clinic, “A good sense of humor can’t cure all ailments, but data is mounting about the positive things laughter can do.” Short term it can stimulate organs, activate, and relieve your stress response, and soothe tension. Long term, science demonstrates that it can improve immune systems, relieve pain, increase personal satisfaction, and improve mood. Let’s see if it works: Knock! Knock! Who’s there? A little old lady. A little old lady who? Wow, I didn’t know you could yodel!
- Pray. Did you know that there are psychological benefits to prayer? Per KSL.com, scientific research on health benefits is limited. However, “…based on what science has shown, prayer might help reduce stress, loneliness, and fear.” Researchers explain that studying prayer is challenging. Per Kevin Masters, professor of clinical health psychology at the University of Colorado, Denver, “Many scientists are very skeptical about anything religious.” Since science is based on the observable, the article also ponders, “If scientists study prayer in a laboratory, how do they conduct the study?” However, prayer is known to foster calm and offer support and control. Masters says, “We are now quite aware that psychological experiences are intimately associated with important psychological processes, including immune system functioning.” Thus, prayer has a strong potential to impact health. Aside from proven science, prayer-related miracles are often reported, which demonstrates that we have much more to learn. Focusing on the human experience, many folks report that prayer puts them at ease and offers significant inner peace.
There are many great ways to reduce stress and discover inner peace, calmness, and joy. These are just three activities that reward the body and connect the mind and soul as evident through science. Though we have a lot more to learn about these practices and the effects they have upon us, they are helpful tools we can use to shut out the outside noise and create a sense of peace and harmony in our lives.
This article is purely informational and is not intended as medical advice.