Interesting Conversations Enhance Well-Being

It so happens that you meet someone and, suddenly, you're having all sorts of interesting conversations. Thus, a magical and undefinable connection arises because enriching dialogues are basically endorphin and serotonin injections for the brain.

Written and verified by the psychologist Valeria Sabater.

Last update: 15 November, 2021

Interesting conversations produce changes in the brain. In fact, they’re a direct shot of serotonin, as well as an exceptional way to connect through emotions, complicity, and trust. Few dynamics are more enriching for human beings than a unique space where to create alliances, learn, be surprised, and find relief.

Judith E. Glaser, an anthropologist and expert in conversational intelligence, states something rather interesting. She says that the human brain doesn’t speak English, Spanish, or French. It speaks through emotions, and these alone give meaning to everything we do. The conversations, the daily dialogue with the people around you, can either improve your well-being or weaken it.

Everyone has experienced the following at some point. Certain conversations deplete your energy and make you lose motivation and even make you negative. In contrast, there are times when you meet someone and there’s an immediate connection, the dialogue flows, the chats are lively and spontaneous, and you find a lot of similar dimensions and tastes.

The brain loves this last type of experience. It produces the endorphins oxytocin and serotonin, reduces stress, and the world acquires a transcendent and revealing meaning when you spend a moment of time conversing with someone, almost without knowing how. Regularly seeking these types of experiences with people who matter to you increase your quality of life.

Interesting conversations change the brain

Carl Rogers, a notable humanistic psychologist, said he liked few things more than bringing out new ideas and perspectives in people during therapy. One can only achieve such a thing through dialogue and a series of key processes that framed therapy according to Rogers. They’re acceptance of others, empathy, and authenticity.

These dimensions weren’t only essential to connect with a person but were also decisive in generating clinical breakthroughs and improvements. Thus, one thing that experts in human communication know is that conversations are more than just sharing a certain type of information. In fact, interesting conversations can provoke intense emotional changes.

Precious chats are a neural alchemy of sensations and brain waves

Enriching dialogues in which you create safe spaces and let yourself get carried away by confidences, learning, discoveries, and intimacies don’t happen often. It’s possible that you only have interesting conversations with a few people. However, you get out of these conversations fully invigorated, feeling positive and enthusiastic when you have them.

This is no accident. That sense of well-being is the result of a fascinating neural alchemy. That comforting mood is due to higher than normal levels of dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins. In addition, a study conducted at the Vasco Cognition, Brain, and Language Center in Spain indicates that the brain synchronizes with the brain of the person you’re talking to during interesting conversations.

What does this mean? Well, basically, that the brain electrical activity of those two people who are having a conversation share the same neural synchrony to facilitate the connection between them. The brain waves work at the same level.

Interesting conversations build trust

Trust is the social glue that binds people together. The brain, so to speak, is designed to promote that type of alliance with your fellow human beings; it’s a dimension everyone needs to feel. Thus, it’s quite precious. However, as you well know, trust isn’t spontaneous and humans need several signs to build this bond with someone.

One way to do so is through interesting conversations. Those moments of enriching dialogue you have with a friend, partner, or co-worker wire the neural bond of trust. In these processes, oxytocin, the prosocial hormone, comes into action. It promotes feelings of safety, relaxation, and connection with the person in front of you.

Dialogues of enthusiasm and positivity that transform you

Interesting conversations also have another virtue: they can transform you. These exchanges of information, emotions, ideas, and sensations created through words originate a joint transformation. They’re dynamics where you can discover other perspectives, where enthusiasm, wisdom, support, and trust are contagious. No one comes out unscathed from these moments between two or more people. You reap benefits in personal development and in physical and psychological health.

To conclude, research in the field of neuroscience indicates that two connected brains are better than one. The mind works at another level when people enjoy such moments with someone who’s meaningful to them. Dyadic or paired communication reduces stress, enhances creativity, strengthens your emotional and social bonds, and nourishes you with enthusiasm.

Thus, don’t hesitate to look for that moment in your daily life when you can enjoy interesting conversations. Nothing is more enriching than connecting with other people, navigating together, and growing as human beings.