The power of nostalgia

A common first world problem is having hundreds, if not thousands of happy life events stuck in photo form on phones or computer hard drives where they are rarely looked at. With lots of us currently having extra time on our hands,  I know I’m not alone in starting to delve back into these memories, reminding myself of forgotten celebrations, printing some out for frames or albums. 

Research has suggested that people are more likely to become nostalgic in times of difficulty, and for good reason apparently. While the feelings aroused by looking back at the past can be complex and not all comfortable, indications are that the process and consequences of reminiscence may be beneficial to wellbeing in the long run. 

For me, for example, looking at past memories now brings both sadness and pleasure. While I delight in remembering and re-experiencing past joys, there are twinges of disappointment that life is now different, frustration that I may not be able to return to friends and activities as soon as I want to and sadness that these moments have passed, that certain experiences and travels are over. Much like reminiscing about loved ones that have passed away, the happy memories bring both comfort and grief. However, something makes me keep doing it. 

Thinking about the past is not often accurate, and nostalgic memories are probably at least a bit biased, if not completely idealised. These memory errors can be problematic politically (think Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again slogan) and sometimes personally depending on how idealised the recollection becomes and how aware we are of the bias. But despite this, or perhaps even sometimes because of it,  it seems nostalgia can be helpful to our wellbeing. 

A perhaps obvious benefit of nostalgia, particularly in the current climate, is that for many of us it can represent a kind of escapism. We can avoid becoming stuck in a difficult and uncertain time by trawling our memory bank instead, looking for the recesses where happiness and familiarity rule. Doing so can provide a sense of comfort and lighten our mood, or perhaps at least prevent us from feeling any worse that we already were. This sense of comfort can be so powerful that it is literally heartwarming - people recollecting a nostalgic event reportedly feel physiologically warmer and are more tolerant to extreme cold. 

Looking back to the past can help us to feel grounded by our origins, our roots and important childhood experiences. These roots, in turn, link us to the things, experiences and people that fill our life with value and meaning. In this way, nostalgia can help people who feel disconnected to their past “true” selves motivate themselves to work towards change and self-continuity. Equally, nostalgic memories can enhance our feelings of connectedness to others, combatting feelings of loneliness and using shared recollections to enhance companionship, bonding and a sense of belonging.

It’s not just the overtly positive memories that can be helpful either. Nostalgia often starts in remembering something difficult or problematic, but can end in a more positive light. Although this experience might not feel good initially, it can lead to people recalling how they coped and the people who may have supported them, leading to increased positive self-regard and a greater appreciation of one’s strengths and social resources. Research studies have found that proneness to nostalgia is correlated with the use of goal-directed strategies such as planning, taking action and positive reframing. Nostalgia seems, therefore, to have a reflective component to it, which can help people integrate past experiences into the self, using things they have learned to aid personal growth and development. 

And with improved self-regard comes increased confidence. Looking back, even in an idealised or biased way, can help us to have the courage to move forward, with a greater appreciation of our skills and awareness of the meaning we have found in our lives. Yes, nostalgic memories might not be strictly accurate, but there is a definite place for the protection and shelter that such memories offer. 


We grow up with dreams in our eyes and songs on our lips and we discover that life is not what we thought it would be. And then, we discover nostalgia.
-Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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