Title: The Power of Inspiring Content: Boosting Hope and Reducing Stress in Just 3 Minutes In today’s fast-paced world, it seems like we are constantly bombarded with negative news and social media content that can leave us feeling overwhelmed and stressed. However, a recent study has found that just three to five minutes of inspiring content each day can help boost our hope levels and reduce stress. The research, conducted by UC Santa Barbara’s Robin Nabi, focused on the impact of watching “underdog” narratives – stories where individuals overcome adversity or achieve remarkable feats against all odds. One such example is Sean Swarner, a cancer survivor who climbed Mt. Everest despite having only one functioning lung and battling Hodgkin lymphoma. Participants in the study watched videos like this, as well as other inspiring content, for five days straight. The results were striking: those who watched these uplifting stories reported feeling more hopeful after just a few minutes of viewing. Moreover, this increased sense of hope was found to predict lower stress levels over the next ten days. This suggests that watching inspirational videos can have long-lasting effects on our mental wellbeing. The study involved around one thousand adults from across the United States, aged between 18 and 86 years old. They were divided into four groups: those who watched inspiring content daily for five days; those who watched comedy clips; another group that practiced meditation for a few minutes each day; and finally, a control group that did not watch any media. Interestingly, while both the comedy-watching and meditation groups experienced some positive effects on their moods, only the inspiring content viewers reported significant reductions in stress levels. This highlights the unique power of inspirational stories to uplift our spirits and help us cope with daily challenges. In today’s world where negativity seems to dominate social media feeds, it is heartening to know that there are simple ways we can counteract this trend. By making a conscious effort to seek out positive content – whether through watching inspiring videos or following uplifting accounts on social media – we can help shift our mindset towards hope and resilience. In conclusion, the findings of this study underscore the importance of surrounding ourselves with positivity in order to maintain good mental health. In just three minutes a day, we can harness the power of inspiring stories to boost our hope levels and reduce stress, ultimately leading to a happier and more fulfilling life.
Source: [Original Article](https://www.npr.org/2025/10/27/nx-s1-5575251/social-media-hope-stress-mental-health)
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