A study published in Frontiers in Psychology shows how embracing nostalgia — a sentimental longing for the past — might help decrease the perception of pain intensity for those suffering from chronic pain.
Study participants took part in writing exercises designed to evoke feelings of nostalgia. Afterwards, pain tolerance was measured using a pressure algometer. The subjects showed higher pain tolerance after engaging in nostalgic thoughts.
Similar studies from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Liaoning Normal University showed that participants who were put though pain stimulations while focusing on childhood photos reported lower feelings of pain over those who looked at random images.
When recalling memories, the thalamus — a small structure within the brain between the cerebral cortex and the midbrain — is activated. The thalamus relays sensory and motor signals and regulates consciousness and alertness.
When we experience nostalgia, we reflect on a positive sense of self esteem, optimism and social support according to a 2020 report from University of Southampton.
Whether the need to help heal pain is emotional, psychological or physical, it’s evident that nostalgia can play a major role in reducing pain. Researchers now plan to do more nostalgia studies with various age groups and ethnicities while testing the effects of music and movies.
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