Anger, daydreaming or laziness are beneficial for human beings

It’s scientifically proven. For good resolutions at the start of 2024, also allow yourself imperfection.

Certain emotions defined as defects are in fact necessary for our psychological well-being and our physiological development, several scientific studies demonstrate. Getting angry, for example, can make it easier to achieve certain goals. This is what a recent study reveals [article en anglais] published by the American Psychological Association.

Researchers carried out tests with 2,000 volunteers, in whom they aroused feelings of anger, amusement or a neutral state via scenarios or videos. And in most experiments, anger improved participants’ ability to solve puzzles, find arguments in exchanges or be responsive in certain video games. New proof that certain emotions, often considered negative, benefit from being accepted and expressed. With a caveat though, because according to this same study, anger can also increase the propensity to cheat.

Another counterintuitive idea: daydreaming is useful

It’s better to avoid busy schedules without any downtime because brain observations on mice have shown that a daydreaming state stimulates the creation of new neural networks. According to a study published in the journal Nature [article en anglais]letting your thoughts flow in a context of relaxation, improves the plasticity of the brain, and the ability to adapt to new situations.

Sleeping around and sleeping a lot is also beneficial. The little laziness in the morning in winter, which makes it a little more difficult to get out of bed, is in fact normal. German researchers [article en anglais] demonstrated last year that there is a seasonality of sleep in humans, as in certain animals, that is to say that in winter, if we do not set an alarm, the duration of our sleep paradoxical, in other words the dream phase which is important for mental recovery, is naturally extended by half an hour per night. This seasonality of recovery seems to be linked to the quantity of light received during the day, and may explain the sensation of slowing down in winter.

Obviously all this should not prevent us from setting new objectives for 2024, but again, be careful not to overload the boat, psychology specialists remind us, because it is generally difficult to maintain more than one or two good long-term resolutions.