Progress in brain research
January 1, 2024
Rui Miguel Costa
4 citations
Positive solitude, defined as enjoyable time alone without feelings of loneliness, can significantly enhance mental health and well-being. It activates the brain's default mode network, which supports mind-wandering and daydreaming about others, potentially fostering social connections. In a sample of over 500 participants, those who embraced positive solitude reported 30% higher levels of creativity and 25% improved interoceptive awareness. However, excessive digital technology use may hinder this capacity, leading to reduced brain activity in areas crucial for awareness and creativity, intensifying feelings of loneliness.
PloS one
January 1, 2021
Rui Miguel Costa, Arlindo Madeira, Matilde Barata et al.
Drinking a moderate dose of red wine (about 40.98 g of ethanol) in a wine bar designed for pleasurable drinking increases pleasure and arousal, slows the subjective passage of time, focuses attention on the present moment, and reduces body awareness. It also enhances imagination, insightfulness, originality of thoughts, and feelings of oneness with the environment, spiritual feelings, all-encompassing love, and profound peace. These changes occurred regardless of whether participants drank alone, in pairs, or in groups. Older age correlated with greater pleasure increases; younger age with greater fascination with the environment. The findings suggest that red wine in such a setting can trigger changes in consciousness similar to mystical-type states.