The most pleasant room in the world

Psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman has designed and built a large-scale multimedia space to ease all stress.

To promote the University of Hertfordshire's Health and Humanities Research Institute exhibition, Wiseman studied materials on relaxation and design 'the world's most pleasant room'.

At the exhibition from 21 to 24 October at Hertfordshie University's Havilland campus, about 10 people in one group will be invited into this unusual, wide space, lying on soft carpets and pillows. pillows have lavender scent. In a 15-minute period , they will be bathed in soft blue light, listen to a particularly gentle piece of music, and watch the artificial blue sky.

Professor Wiseman stressed: 'The pace of modern life, credit crunch, and the financial crisis are straining many people, so we created this space to help them relax.' .

'Research shows that blue light stimulates the formation of dopamine in the brain and provides a calm feeling. In addition, the blue artificial sky helps them relax, allowing them to direct their thoughts inside, to escape from everyday stress. '

Music professor of Hertfordshire University, Tim Blinko has compiled a music version dedicated to this project.

Professor Blinko said: 'Richard asked me to compose a song with a slow and gentle melody, with notes of low frequency, and without sudden changes in rhythm. I have completed a piece of music for this project. The score is a combination of tall female, selected to have the softest sounds, along with Tibetan singing cups, and a set of string instruments'.

A few years ago, Wiseman directed an international study to understand the pace of walking around the world, and found that people have a faster and more stressful pace of life. Hopefully, this room will help encourage more people to stay stressed, such as students before exams or businessmen who want to reduce the absence of employees for stressful reasons.

Professor Wiseman added: 'Previous research has shown that these colors, sounds and scents (in the room) help people relax, but this is the first time all of these elements have been combined. It is interesting to look at the impact on guests 'relaxation level.'

The most pleasant room in the world (Photo: University of Hertfordshire)

The following questionnaire helps identify people who are having a life with too much stress.5 or more 'yes' answers suggest that it's time you should find a way to relax and slow down.

1) Do you watch more hours than others?

2) When someone presents a problem too long, do you feel like urging them?

3) Are you often the first person to finish the meal?

4) When walking on the road, do you often feel uncomfortable because you are stuck behind others?

5) Do you become irritated if you sit for an hour or so?

6) Do you leave the store or restaurant if you have to wait in line?

7) If you have traffic jams, are you more annoyed than other drivers?

Stress relief tips:

Stress can increase blood pressure, affect your ability to concentrate and weaken your immune system.

People who don't have the opportunity to come to the world's most pleasant room can try some of the following tips to combat stress:

1) Go to the suburbs. Research shows that 30 minutes of green and quiet scenery will make you significantly more comfortable.

2) Listen to gentle music. Listening to Vivaldi's four-season version, a very pleasant piece, or natural sounds, can lower blood pressure.

3) Perform relaxation exercises. Starting from leg up, stretch and then relax the muscles in each part of the body for a short time.

4) Meet friends. Loving friends can help disperse your mind from anxious thoughts and make you happier.

5) Help others. Research shows through a good small act, such as charitable donations, helps improve mood and reduce stress.

6) Accept what you can't change. There is no reason to go back on the past, or think about what cannot be changed. Instead, focus on how you can have a better future.

7) Laugh more. Don't be too important to the problem, try to improve your ability to face stressful situations by looking at the humor of all problems.

8) Use lavender. Research shows that most people feel the smell of lavender is very pleasant, it also helps you have a good night's sleep.

9) Go to the gym. Exercise promotes the formation of endorphins, making you feel more confident and comfortable.

10) Look at the sky. If it's a beautiful day, lie on the grass, look at the sky, and allow positive images and thoughts to invade your mind.