After looking at over 70 separate samples of data concerning brain activity before, during, and after a moment-of-truth-type event, researchers found that as you gear up for something that will give you any sort of feedback (like a performance, an exam, or even waiting for medical results), we experience what’s called temporal decline—in other words, a temporary dip in our expectations before we’re about to hear the results. It’s a process called sobering up. “It’s self-protective,” says Kate Sweeny, PhD, researcher on the analysis and assistant professor of psychology at University of California Riverside. “We can use our expectations to protect ourselves from the shock of an unexpected bad outcome. It’s just a little bit better than getting completely caught off guard.” More from Prevention: How To Be More Patient Pessimism in these small doses not only prepares you for the shock, but can also help tame your reaction. “If you get some bad news, a natural reaction is to get defensive,” says Sweeny. “Having more pessimistic expectations might undermine that reaction.” The key here is not sobering up too quickly; prematurely bracing yourself can be exhausting. Even if you practice sobering up before a big moment of truth, waiting is still hard—especially when that moment keeps moving around (“Sorry for the delay ma’am, we’ll have your results next week.”). To quell the anxiety during a particularly rough waiting period, turn to mindfulness meditation to naturally regulate out of control emotions. “Emotional volatility very often is a byproduct of thoughts that are focused on past and present,” says Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, Clinical Director of The Dunes in East Hampton, NY. “Mindfulness helps address a person’s reactivity and cultivates a focus on the here and now.” All it takes is five to 15 minutes per day, and here are three ways to get you started. More from Prevention: Finding Calm In The Chaos
