Why Highly Sensitive People Experience Nostalgia More Often

Last week my wife and I were sorting through some storage bins in the garage when I stumbled upon my old CD collection.  Music has always been a central theme of my life, from hearing Norwegian Wood by The Beatles the first time when I was four, to going to my first concert at seven, playing the original Lion King soundtrack in the school band at twelve, driving all over the East Coast throughout my early 20s to see my favorite bands, and feeling human again after the pandemic during a Brandi Carlile concert. 

Pulling out these CDs, particularly the mixes made just for me from old friends and girlfriends, some for specific road trips or special events, quickly transported me back into time.

The Flood of Memories Past

With each song I listened to, a different set of memories and emotions came flooding back to me.  The feelings of nostalgia were almost too much to bear as I immersed back into younger versions of myself and the meaning of those people and time periods.  These were the experiences that led me here today, informing who I am now.  I’m getting choked up just thinking about it.  Do you also feel nostalgia deeply as an HSP? 

Nostalgia is “a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period” according to Merriam-Webster or more simply put - a sentimental longing for the past.  Why do highly sensitive people feel more nostalgic than others?  While I haven’t found any specific research on this intersection of this HSP experience, let’s infer what we know based on how nostalgia and the HSP brain works. 

HSP Brain on Nostalgia

A highly sensitive person has more activity in the insula and amygdala regions of their brain, both of which contribute to feelings of nostalgia.  The amygdala infuses memories with emotion while the insula connects external experiences with internal emotion.  

As a result, HSPs have a deep emotional connection to their memories and because we process information and experiences deeply, memories are more vivid and easier to recall.  When you notice more subtle details, you’re able to pull up specific memories and the emotions that go along with them quickly.  

Nostalgia can be set off by sensory information such as a smell that reminds you of your grandmother’s perfume, hearing a song that you and your high school best friend would listen to on repeat, or seeing a cat that reminds you of the one you had as a kid. It can also be sparked during times of loneliness, grief, or emptiness when you long for a time of your life that was more fulfilling.  Whatever the reason, you’ll feel a deep sense of connection to that time of your life, maybe with a longing to return.  

Gifts of Nostalgia

Remembering past times of your life in great detail can be a gift.  You can connect with a sense of meaning, belonging, and comfort.  Memories can be a bridge back to our true selves in times of uncertainty or an acknowledgment of how far we’ve come.  

The next time you’re feeling nostalgic, use the experience as an opportunity to reflect on how the past has impacted your present.  Revisiting memories through the path of nostalgia provides you with an opportunity to revisit past experiences with fresh eyes and more insight.  You might ask yourself - what from that time feels like it’s missing now?  Perhaps working to add more connection, introspection, freedom, or curiosity into your life now.  If nothing is missing, just savoring the memories and appreciating the influence on you now.