If you feel tense and stressed, we have found a simple way for you to relax:you simply have to watch a wildlife documentary, something to see nature. This observation is the result of a study conducted by BBC Earth, in partnership with American researchers from the University of California and the University of Berkeley, in the United States. No less than 7,500 people volunteered to take part in this study, in England, the United States, Singapore, Australia, India and South Africa. The experiment, entitled “Real Happiness Project” consisted of dividing these people into 3 groups:the first had to watch an extract from an animal documentary, the second extracts from drama series and the last educational videos. A camera recorded all their reactions and "micro-facial expressions" during these viewings. The aim was to assess the level of emotions, such as surprise, anger, fear, astonishment or disgust. The volunteers then shared their feelings and their level of stress following the extracts watched.
The result showed that those who had viewed the animal documentary clip had the lowest level of stress, in contrast to the highest level of joy, curiosity or amusement. This level of positive emotions was even higher among 16-24 year olds. “These emotional shifts caused by nature documentaries are significant. We know that wonder and pleasure are the basis of happiness. If people experience feelings of wonder, they are more likely to show empathy and help each other, as well as manage their stress better,” explained Professor Dacher Keltner, from UC Berkeley. This is why BBC Worldwide has decided to set up a platform allowing those who want it to find videos of animals and nature more easily. This platform offers the “happybot” tool, which selects videos according to your tastes. Mike Gunton, executive producer of the BBC, justified this choice. “We strive to bring our audience closer to nature. It's amazing how much it can create positive emotions and affect the viewer's mood and well-being. »
We think it's a very good idea, and we hope that this program will be available in France soon, so that we too can relax!
