Why it Works - Why Doing The Big 5 Helps
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Background
The Big 5 are five groups of actions that, when performed regularly, help support our mental health. Each of the Big 5 have been recognised as important for our mental health. Our research shows that these five groups of actions, collectively, can help support our mental health.
Why They Work
The Big 5 work in several ways to improve our mental health. We believe these ways or mechanisms are synergistic, that is, when combined, they have a greater impact. The exact mechanisms are still under investigation, but we believe that they include the following.
Nervous System Stimulation
Activity stimulates our nervous system. Like all organisms, our nervous system needs to be stimulated for healthy function.
The Big 5 actions stimulate multiple cortical and sub-cortical regions of our brain by prompting increases in:
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Physical movements and exercise
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Sensory experiences which we can enjoy
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Improvements in habits such as sleep-wake cycles which are critical for good mental and physical health.
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Social engagement
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These actions increase cerebrovascular and neurological activity and stimulation while also prompting the release of hormones such as oxytocin, and endorphins and neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine, which produce natural euphoric and positive feelings.
Cognitive Benefits
The Big 5 encourage the following:
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Focusing on the future, rather than the past – this reduces the time we might have for thinking or ruminating about negative or distressing events. Instead, the Big 5 encourage us to focus on making a better future for ourselves.
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Keeping perspective – The Big 5 encourages us to look at ourselves and our world in a more balanced way – accepting that things aren’t perfect – and that we aren’t perfect (and don’t have to be). By doing this the Big 5 helps us to avoid strong swings towards distressing feelings, which gives us more time for feeling more relaxed and stable.
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Collectively, the Big 5 actions reduce our capacity to hold a negative cognitive bias. Instead, the Big 5 encourages a neutral or positive cognitive bias, which promotes a more balanced perspective, view and approach to the world. We then have less time to ruminate or worry. And, importantly, we can then start to look positively towards our future goals and aspirations, rather than focusing on the negative or difficult times in our lives.
Satisfaction, Pleasure and Motivation
Doing the Big 5 is satisfying and nice to do. These actions aren’t particularly difficult, and the rewards, such as feeling good, usually outweigh the efforts required.
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After a few days and weeks of doing these regularly, the Big 5 become part of our daily and weekly habits, routines and rituals, which mean that we get used to doing them and getting the benefits.
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These pleasant experiences help to build momentum, and give us the motivation and drive to solve everyday problems, to challenge ourselves and to work towards a better future for ourselves and those we care about.
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