top of page
Search

The power of happy nostalgia on our wellbeing

Updated: Jan 27




We all have those tiny, sparkling moments from childhood or past chapters — a smell, a song, a silly holiday detail — that suddenly lift us from the rush of daily life into something softer, warmer. Those positive memories aren’t just sentimental flashes. Research now shows they’re powerful emotional resources that can boost our mental wellbeing, increase resilience, and bring a sense of joy into the present.

 

In fact, psychologists have found that when people recall positive autobiographical memories, their stress response decreases significantly. One study showed that after a stressful moment, individuals who revisited a happy memory experienced a much smaller rise in cortisol compared with those who remembered something neutral. At the brain level, these memories activate our reward pathways, the same regions connected to pleasure, bonding, and emotional regulation. In other words, nostalgia isn't indulgence; it’s biology supporting our emotional wellbeing.

 

Another growing field of research links nostalgia and wellbeing, showing that looking back fondly helps strengthen identity, increase self-esteem, and restore feelings of continuity and meaning, especially during times of transition.

 

But nostalgia can sometimes feel heavy or melancholic depending on our state of mind and how the memory is being looked at. We need to shift the way we look at the past, with playfulness and gratitude.

Happy memories can be light, colourful, and deeply uplifting.

It can be an anchor — not to the past, but to ourselves.

 

So how do we bring joyful nostalgia into our everyday lives in a way that feels empowering?

 

Use sensory triggers intentionally

 

A perfume, a playlist, even a colour palette can gently reconnect you with a moment that shaped who you are today. These sensory cues spark emotional warmth and can instantly shift your mood.

 

Choose gratitude over longing

 

Instead of missing what was, honour what it gave you. Research shows that framing memories with gratitude increases wellbeing and emotional stability.

 

Share your stories

 

Talking about happy memories with loved ones strengthens connection, belonging and resilience. Nostalgia becomes a shared joy — a thread between generations.

 

Bring memory into your home

 

This is where art comes in. As a female artist in London working in Neo Pop art, I see daily how colour, playfulness and memory-inspired art can shift the energy of a space. Joyful art, colourful art, and nostalgic details act as emotional reminders, little sparks of dopamine décor woven into your home.

 

A piece that captures childhood wonder, a retro symbol, a familiar toy, or an echo of a beloved era can instantly turn interiors into uplifting, meaningful spaces. It’s not just décor, it’s a daily dose of joy, anchoring you in who you’ve been and who you’re becoming.

 

Nostalgic art doesn’t pull you backwards; it lights up your present.

It brings texture, soul, and emotional depth to your home, a gentle reminder that happiness is layered, lived, remembered, and renewed.

 

Nostalgia isn’t a longing, it’s a soft form of self-care, reconnecting us with the joy that made us.

 

 Sources

 

* Positive memory recall and cortisol regulation: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6719713

* Nostalgia as a resource for wellbeing and resilience: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X2200269X

* Sensory-based memory activation and benefits: https://online.aging.ufl.edu/2025/01/08/the-psychology-of-nostalgia

* Gratitude and emotional wellbeing research: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9826762

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page