Why do we sigh?
Plus, why we’re drawn to slow hobbies
BRAIN WAVES
Take a breath. Why do we sigh? Researchers wanted to see what goes on in the body during a sigh, so they ran different experiments asking people to repeat a series of long, mundane tasks while also tracking their breathing to spot sighs. They also measured pupil size as a marker of brain arousal during the tasks. Everyday breathing patterns contain some natural variability, but over time, our respiratory patterns became “chaotic or disorganized,” as Sigh Post—er, Psypost—put it. The study found that sighs reset those chaotic breathing patterns back into a more structured rhythm. And each sigh was linked to a spike in pupil dilation, which was a sign of the brain’s alertness system kicking in. In other words, sighing is like your body hitting refresh to keep you awake during a monotonous task.
Why sourdough is so appealing. There is something alluring about the simplicity of hobbies like calligraphy, baking bread, or fixing old radios. Over at aeon, philosopher Joshua Habgood-Coote calls this “skill nostalgia” and says that philosophers from Plato to Marx worried that technology takes away some of the richness of skilled work, leaving us with jobs that are too shallow to master. The allure of skill nostalgia is that it highlights the ways work can be dignified, complex, and worth doing.
Walk on the spiritual side. Food, safety, and strong relationships are essential to our survival. Psychologist Lisa Miller says our brains also crave something else: transcendence. Listen to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
Making the Most of Your Mistakes: When you’re learning, or trying new things, you’re going to make mistakes. The trick is to try to fail in a way that gives you useful information. This week, we revisit a favorite conversation with researcher Amy Edmondson. She explains the difference between constructive failures and those we should try to avoid. Then, John Dinsmore answers listener questions about the psychology of debt, in our latest installment of Your Questions Answered.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Annabelle Gurwitch’s Story: After Annabelle was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, a volunteer living with the same diagnosis offered advice that changed the way she saw the future.
Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.
MIND GAMES
What do the numbers 11, 69 and 88 all have in common?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
Sam’s mother has four children:
April, May, June, and ...
What is the name of the fourth child?
The answer: Sam
MOMENT OF JOY
Behold, the Panda Cam.
Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.