When we’re feeling angry, stressed or overexcited, just 15 minutes of being alone without a device can put us into a more peaceful state, reports a University of Rochester study. Young adults, sitting in a comfortable chair away from their devices, were given something to read, told to think about something specific or not given any instruction. Some were asked to sit alone for 15 minutes a day for a week and keep a diary. In all cases, such solo time away from devices helped reduce intense emotions afterward.

This article appears in the June 2018 issue of Natural Awakenings.