There are profound experiences in life where your emotional response to vastness transcends understanding. Whether that vastness is physical, conceptual, or spiritual, the name for what you’ve experienced is the same: awe.

What triggers awe can last mere moments, but its impact carries on. Awe connects us to something greater and, in doing so, gives us a sense of peace and calm. Time feels like it stops, and your mental health benefits.

Here, we’ll take a deep dive into the benefits of awe, the science behind its impact on emotional well-being, and ways to create space for awe in your daily life.

What Is Awe?

Awe is a complex emotion, but the idea behind it is simple: it’s a feeling of wonder and amazement that’s caused by experiencing something vast, extraordinary, or beyond comprehension. 

From an emotional standpoint, awe causes you to pause, reflect, and feel small in a meaningful way. Physically, the feeling can leave you with goosebumps or a sense of stillness.

When you think about experiences that trigger awe, your mind might first go to those once-in-a-lifetime kind of events—the total solar eclipse in 2024, for instance.. 

But awe can also come from everyday moments too:

• Gazing up at a clear night sky and seeing all the stars
• Hearing a song that evokes memories from your childhood
• Hearing a story of a stranger stepping in to help someone in need

The feeling these situations evoke have far-reaching and measurable benefits. From reduced stress to improved connectedness, research studies underscore the power of awe to benefit emotional well-being.

The Science of Awe

The connection between awe-inducing experiences and emotional well-being is a well-validated psychological phenomenon. 

In one study of older adults, participants were asked to go on a daily “awe-walk” where they were guided to focus on their environment and intentionally lean into awe experiences. Compared to participants that took control walks, this group exhibited more joy, more prosocial positive emotions like gratitude, and less daily distress.

A more recent study looked at the tie between awe and mental health through the lens of ketamine therapy. Participants with depression who underwent a ketamine infusion reported heightened feelings of awe. (Those who underwent a saline infusion did not.) The effects of these awe-inducing experiences were both rapid and enduring. Meditated depression outcomes were reported as early as 24 hours after the infusion treatment and up to 30 days postinfusion.

Collectively, this research paints a picture of the psychological effects of awe. 

By shifting your focus outward, awe helps to regulate your emotions and free you from the grip of anxiety and frustration. As some neuroscientific studies have shown, awe-inducing experiences have been associated with reduced activation in the brain’s default-mode network (DMN)— the area often associated with self reflection.

With reduced self-focus, you naturally feel more connected to others and the world around you. These connections can reduce feelings of isolation and increase feelings of empathy and compassion.

The experiences that produce awe can also activate other parts of the brain—such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The ACC is linked to your cognitive flexibility and decision-making. Insights from awe-inspiring moments can encourage you to learn, adapt, and grow. 

A balanced and curious mindset can contribute to long-term mental health benefits.

How to Cultivate Awe in Daily Life

Powerful as it may be, awe is something you can intentionally invite into your daily life. Here are some practical ways you can experience awe on a more regular basis:

Spend Time in Nature

Start your day with a sunrise or take a walk through a local park for a midday break. Noticing even the smallest of details, like the leaves changing colors, can evoke awe. If there’s a river nearby, even better—the water sounds can create a sense of wonder.

Dive Into Art, Music, or Literature

Immerse yourself in the creative sights of an art exhibit or the sounds of a concert. Listen to songs that leave you feeling moved, and read books that introduce you to new ways of thinking. Artistic expression in various forms can evoke appreciation and curiousity.

Practice Mindfulness to Stay Present

Awe-inducing experiences are all around you.  The more present you are, the more you’ll take notice of these moments. Make it a point each day to slow down and take in your surroundings—what you see, what you hear, what you feel. There could be something extraordinary tucked within it all.

Mindful breathing and meditation can help you on this journey. When you’re able to calm your mind, you can heighten your awareness of small yet meaningful moments  around you.

When you do experience moments of awe, jot them down in a gratitude journal. Being able to easily reflect on moments from the past helps you become more attuned to looking out for them in the future.

Awe as a Tool for Mental Health

Awe offers a unique and complementary way to achieve the goals of mental health strategies and therapy. The outward shift that comes with awe helps you move beyond inner worries and gain a sense of relief and grounding amid the stress of life.

Awe is naturally aligned with mindfulness, a core focus in therapeutic approaches. Incorporating awe into mindfulness practices—like the “awe-walks” mentioned above—can help you feel more present, contributing to a sense of calmness and clarity.

Awe can also be woven into therapeutic practices to support healing and connection. Therapists can use guided visualizations to evoke awe-inspiring moments, helping clients tap into a sense of wonder and transcendence. They can also ask clients to document these moving moments in the gratitude journal previously highlighted.

Look For Awe In the World Around You

Awe is a gift everyone has access to. The benefits awe offers to mental health makes it worthwhile to seek out in your daily life. When you make awe-inspiring moments part of your regular life, you can reduce stress, gain emotional balance, feel more socially connected, and grow personally. So take a moment, open yourself up to the small but extraordinary moments around you, and let awe work its magic.