Jun 28, 2019
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/P1tlzAik8wY
Relaxing yourself before going in that examining room will help you get much more from your visit. Psychologists at the University of Michigan studied nearly 1500 subjects to determine if interventions that induced more positivity and openness to information would result in a more relaxed and productive health maintenance encounter.
The study mimicked a doctor’s visit by exposing the subjects to an array of healthcare information on subjects as diverse as the flu, cancer, HIV, and sexually-transmitted diseases. Testing and interviews then ascertained how well the participants understood the information given. Before the so-called “visit,” groups of participants were pre-treated with positivity therapy including meditation, relaxation audios, and breathing exercises. A control group only listened to documentary information.
Those persons who received the relaxation intervention absorbed more of the health information and felt better about the entire experience. The “health news you should use” is to wait to see your doctor while meditating or enjoying soothing music. Then, to be certain that you catch the information your doctor discusses, bring along a family member or friend as a second pair of ears to take good notes.
Koji J. Takahashi, Allison Earl. Effect of Extraneous Affect on Health Message Reception. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2019; 014616721985504 DOI: 10.1177/0146167219855042
#relaxation #healthinformation #meditation