SCIENTISTS have revealed a brain trick that can make you enjoy life.
The technique is called “dishabituating” and is explained in a new book Look Again: The power of noticing what was always there.
Experts Tali Sharot and Cass R. Sunstein wrote the recently published book.
They both discussed the dishabituating theory in an interview with The New Scientist.
“You can dishabituate yourself by taking yourself out of an environment, because when you come back you’re going to see it with fresh eyes, whether it’s a few days away from home, making changes to your routine, trying a new skill,” Sharot told the news outlet.
The trick doesn’t necessarily mean removing yourself from environments you don’t enjoy.
It can also involve taking a break from things that make you happy.
Sharot gave the example of a group of study participants who were listening to a song.
Some of the participants listened to the song all the way through and others listened to it with breaks.
Those who took breaks from listening ended up enjoying the song more.
“With anything that’s good, it’s really good in the beginning and then the joy dwindles because we habituate.
“But if you take a break and then you go back, now the joy is high again,” Sharot told The New Scientist.
The expert also revealed that shorter vacations may be more beneficial for your happiness.
According to the book, 43 hours into your vacation is the happiest point.
“The key to this disruption—to seeing, feeling, and noticing again—is change.
“By temporarily changing your environment, changing the rules, changing the people you interact with—or even just stepping back and imagining change—you regain sensitivity, allowing you to more clearly identify the bad and more deeply appreciate the good,” the description of the book explains.