We all know just how romantic,inspiring and utterly Instagram-able the can be,
but most of us only make time for sunsets when we're on vacation,
as if that calming,
beautiful moment can only occur when we're in an exotic place,
free from everyday obligations.
But the sun sets every single day,
no matter where you are.
Here's why you should consider making time to watch the sun set:
It can slow down time.
By witnessing the beauty and awe of the sunset,
you can slow down your perception of time.
According to 2012 research,
participants who felt awe-defined as
"the emotion that it provokes a need to update one's mental schemas"
-felt like they had more time available and were less impatient.
"Experiences of awe bring people into the present moment,"
researchers wrote in the paper,
"which underlies awe's capacity to adjust time perception,
influence decisions,and make life feel more satisfying than it would otherwise."
It will force you to put your phone down.
When we relegate the experience of sunsets to vacations and special occasions,
we feel the urge to document,
capture and save them-as if hoarding photos of their
majesty will help us remember that wondrous feeling.
But if you experience the sunset more regularly,
you'll no longer feel compelled to see it through a screen.
It will inspire you.
There's a reason sunsets are timeless and constant standbys of poets,
writers and romantics-they're inspiring.
There is something inherently powerful and spiritual about sunsets,
and we can benefit from incorporating such experiences into a regular ritual.
Ellen L,Idler,a sociology professor at Emory University,notes,
"Transcendent spiritual experiences have a positive,healing,
restorative effect,especially if they are 'built in,' so to speak,
to one's daily,weekly,seasonal,and annual cycles of living."