For those suffering from the lingering effects of COVID-19, relief might come from an unexpected source – brief daily moments of awe. A new randomized controlled clinical trial has found that a simple practice of finding awe in everyday life significantly reduced depression symptoms and improved overall well-being in long COVID patients.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, marks the first clinical evidence that deliberately cultivating experiences of awe – that sense of wonder when encountering something vast or beyond our normal frame of reference – can have measurable benefits for psychological health.
“This work is the first to document that awe can have salutary effects on psychological health, such as reducing symptoms of depression,” noted the research team led by María Monroy, Michael Amster, and colleagues from multiple institutions.
Long COVID continues to affect millions worldwide, with persistent symptoms that often include not just physical ailments but significant psychological distress. The pandemic triggered a 25% rise in anxiety and depression globally, with these mental health challenges particularly pronounced and persistent in long COVID sufferers.
Finding Awe in Ordinary Moments
What makes this intervention particularly promising is its simplicity. Participants were taught a three-step process: pay full attention to things they appreciate or find amazing in their environment, slow down to pause, and then amplify whatever sensations they experience.
The researchers emphasized to participants that finding awe doesn’t require extraordinary events. Instead, the practice can be done in brief moments throughout the day – less than 30 seconds, three times daily.
The four-week intervention was delivered entirely online in 60-minute weekly sessions, making it accessible to participants across the United States who met the CDC criteria for long COVID.
Remarkable Results
The findings were striking. Compared to the control group, those who practiced the awe intervention showed a 17% decrease in depression symptoms, a 12% decrease in stress levels, and a 16% increase in overall well-being. The effect sizes ranged from medium to large, demonstrating the robustness of these findings.
Notably, while the intervention improved multiple aspects of psychological health, it did not significantly affect anxiety symptoms. The researchers suggest this might indicate that when dealing with a chronic illness like long COVID, feelings of worry and anxiety may be more pervasive and resistant to change.
The study included 68 participants with confirmed long COVID diagnosis who were randomly assigned to either receive the intervention immediately or after a waiting period. The intervention group reported experiencing significantly more awe than the control group, confirming that the technique successfully cultivated the target emotion.
Why Awe Works
This research builds on a growing body of evidence suggesting that awe has unique benefits for health and well-being. Awe is typically experienced through encounters with nature, art, acts of human kindness, spiritual practices, or even intellectual epiphanies.
Previous studies have linked awe experiences with reduced physiological stress responses, less rumination, and improved well-being. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, another study found that when people experienced more awe, they reported less stress, fewer physical health symptoms, and greater well-being.
What distinguishes this new research is its rigorous clinical trial design and focus on a specific patient population with ongoing health challenges.
Implications for Treatment
The findings have potential significance for the millions still struggling with long COVID. While many treatments focus on addressing physical symptoms, this intervention offers a complementary approach specifically targeting psychological health.
The researchers note that the intervention’s simplicity and accessibility make it particularly valuable. It requires no special equipment, can be practiced anywhere, and takes minimal time – important factors for individuals already dealing with the burdens of chronic illness.
This work adds to current efforts aimed at understanding and treating long COVID, including the RECOVER NIH initiative, by providing evidence that a brief awe intervention can promote greater psychological health in this population.
While the researchers acknowledge limitations including sample size and the need for replication with an active-control group, they emphasize that the large effect sizes are encouraging for the potential application of these findings.
As we continue to address the long-term impacts of the pandemic, simple interventions like this that harness our natural capacity for wonder may offer meaningful support for those still struggling with its aftereffects.
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