Mental Arithmetic Really Causes Me Anxiety and Research Confirms It

When I was asked to deliver an unprepared five-minute speech and then count backwards in intervals of 17 – while facing a trio of unknown individuals – the acute stress was written on my face.

That is because psychologists were filming this quite daunting situation for a research project that is studying stress using thermal cameras.

Anxiety modifies the blood flow in the facial area, and researchers have found that the cooling effect of a individual's nasal area can be used as a indicator of tension and to observe restoration.

Thermal imaging, based on researcher findings conducting the research could be a "game changer" in anxiety studies.

The Scientific Tension Assessment

The experimental stress test that I underwent is meticulously designed and intentionally created to be an unexpected challenge. I came to the academic institution with minimal awareness what I was in for.

Initially, I was told to settle, calm down and hear ambient sound through a set of headphones.

Thus far, quite relaxing.

Then, the researcher who was conducting the experiment introduced a panel of three strangers into the room. They collectively gazed at me quietly as the investigator stated that I now had three minutes to develop a five minute speech about my "dream job".

When noticing the warmth build around my collar area, the experts documented my face changing colour through their infrared device. My facial temperature immediately decreased in temperature – appearing cooler on the infrared display – as I thought about how to navigate this impromptu speech.

Scientific Results

The researchers have carried out this identical tension assessment on 29 volunteers. In every case, they observed the nasal area decrease in warmth by between three and six degrees.

My nose dropped in temperature by a small amount, as my physiological mechanism redirected circulation from my nasal region and to my visual and auditory organs – a bodily response to enable me to observe and hear for hazards.

Most participants, like me, recovered quickly; their nasal areas heated to baseline measurements within a short time.

Lead researcher explained that being a media professional has probably made me "quite habituated to being put in anxiety-provoking circumstances".

"You're familiar with the recording equipment and conversing with unfamiliar people, so you're probably quite resilient to interpersonal pressures," she explained.

"However, even individuals such as yourself, experienced in handling stressful situations, exhibits a physiological circulation change, so this indicates this 'nasal dip' is a consistent measure of a changing stress state."

Tension Regulation Possibilities

Anxiety is natural. But this finding, the experts claim, could be used to help manage harmful levels of anxiety.

"The duration it takes an individual to bounce back from this nasal dip could be an quantifiable indicator of how well somebody regulates their anxiety," explained the head scientist.

"Should they recover remarkably delayed, might this suggest a potential indicator of anxiety or depression? Could this be a factor that we can address?"

Since this method is non-invasive and measures a physical response, it could furthermore be beneficial to observe tension in babies or in those with communication challenges.

The Mental Arithmetic Challenge

The second task in my stress assessment was, personally, more difficult than the opening task. I was instructed to subtract sequentially decreasing from 2023 in intervals of 17. One of the observers of unresponsive individuals stopped me each instance I made a mistake and instructed me to recommence.

I acknowledge, I am bad at calculating mentally.

While I used uncomfortable period attempting to compel my brain to perform mathematical calculations, my sole consideration was that I wanted to flee the progressively tense environment.

During the research, just a single of the multiple participants for the stress test did actually ask to depart. The others, similar to myself, finished their assignments – likely experiencing varying degrees of discomfort – and were given another calming session of background static through headphones at the finish.

Non-Human Applications

Possibly included in the most surprising aspects of the approach is that, as heat-sensing technology record biological tension reactions that is inherent within many primates, it can furthermore be utilized in other species.

The investigators are actively working on its use in habitats for large monkeys, such as chimps and gorillas. They want to work out how to lower tension and improve the wellbeing of primates that may have been removed from traumatic circumstances.

Researchers have previously discovered that displaying to grown apes recorded material of baby chimpanzees has a soothing influence. When the scientists installed a video screen adjacent to the protected apes' living area, they noticed the facial regions of animals that watched the content warm up.

Therefore, regarding anxiety, viewing infant primates interacting is the opposite of a spontaneous career evaluation or an impromptu mathematical challenge.

Future Applications

Implementing heat-sensing technology in monkey habitats could prove to be valuable in helping rescued animals to adjust and settle in to a unfamiliar collective and unknown territory.

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