Why is it important to figure out why I feel sad?

Feel sad sometimes but don't know exactly why? Tempted to just brush past it? Well, don't. Understanding the source of your sadness can be key to moving on.

In fact, research in people with amnesia shows that having a memory attached to a blue mood is best for emotional well-being. It helps people move past sadness more quickly.

In a study, people with intact memories and people with amnesia were shown sad movie clips. The facial expressions and demeanors of amnesic patients remained sad for up to 30 minutes later, even though they had no memory of what they'd seen. In comparison, people with intact memories returned to normal much more quickly.

Knowing what's making you sad is key to dealing with it, learning from it and letting go. If you don't process what you're going through, sad thoughts may continue to linger, and sad signals may even get stored in your body. That's exactly what researchers suspect happened to the people with amnesia in the recent study. So the next time you feel down but don't know why, grab your journal and try to puzzle it out. You'll feel better if you do.

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