The Power Of The Great Forgotten: Positive Emotions

Emotions are those innate processes that are part of our life and to which we often do not pay enough attention … For some years, and more and more, the direct relationship they have with our health has been insisted on. In fact, positive emotions can enhance our health in the same way that negative emotions can weaken it.

As numerous studies show,  our central nervous system and our immune system communicate directly. This means that the emotions and the body are not separate, but very connected and interrelated.

What is certain is that in the information and publications that reach us, the impact of negative emotions is emphasized. That is, we are warned of the negative influence that certain emotions have on our health and we are guided on the advisability of avoiding negative emotions such as fear, anger … However, what is not so popular is the fact that  blocking These emotions can be a source of health problems.

Emotions that take care of our health

For some time now, some experts in the field of health have made a turn in their vision and emotional approach. That is, they have made their statements positive. Instead of focusing and focusing on negative emotions, they have turned their gaze to the power of positive emotions.

Arturo Agüero, doctor and director of the Diego Alcorta National Hospital, assures in his book ” Emotions that heal ” that positive emotions can dislodge the negative charge of those other sensations that, anchored in our body, threaten our health.

In the same way, the American doctor B. Fredrickson, winner of the “Highest templeton prize in Positive Psychology” , after years of scientific research discovered the health enhancing effect of positive emotions.

In the same way, the University of Kentucky has conducted longitudinal research.  The result has shown a relationship between positive emotions and longevity. Likewise, after decades of research we have evidence that shows the relationship of positive emotions with our state of health and life expectancy. In fact, it is proven that  those who experience more positive emotions have lower blood pressure and a stronger immune system.

Some positive emotions and feelings …

Joy and fun

Joy is perhaps one of the fastest emotions. It happens in an instant, when we find ourselves in an environment that is pleasant. It appears in those “perfect” moments where we feel that things are exactly as they should be and we are where we should be.

Of equal importance, fun is the emotion associated with pleasure and is found in what makes us laugh and allows our recreation. Fun, in this sense, is a powerful natural relaxant.

Gratitude

This emotion must be understood in its broadest sense . Give thanks to life, to nature, to our life partners … To feel grateful for our health, for the place where we live, etc.

Giving thanks at the same time is a reason for joy. It means that someone takes care of us or that luck smiles on us. And … Who is not comforted by this?

Serenity

Serenity is a more relaxed, sustained and subtle emotion than joy. It is enjoyed when we are fully present and aware of what we are experiencing. In addition, serenity is the emotion that makes it easier for us to see the forest and not just the tree when there is a problem, thus increasing the chances of finding a solution.

Interest

Interest is a higher state that motivates exploration and investigation behaviors. Thanks to interest we have the desire and motivation to learn and develop our knowledge, qualities and skills.

Love

In the state of infatuation, a biological reaction occurs in our bodies that increases our levels of oxytocin and progesterone. The consequence is immediate: our feeling of well-being increases and our stress level is reduced. In this way, it improves our health and quality of life.

In conclusion, research supports a shift in focus in understanding emotions, feelings, or longer emotional states.  Thus, it would not be so much about blocking negative emotions as about enhancing positive ones, since these neutralize the previous ones. In fact, this new point of view does not fail to value all emotions, regardless of their valence.

Negative emotions have an unquestionable adaptive value. And positive emotions have a transcendent and evolutionary objective that goes beyond the pleasant sensations that they provide us.