Our heartbeats synchronise while we're listening to stories, researchers find

Heart rates sync up when listening attentively to stories

In a series of experiments, researchers show that it’s not likely linked to emotion but to how well the listener is paying attention to the story.

People's Heartbeats Synchronize When They're Captivated by The Same Story

Having evolved with storytelling as a means to pass information across generations, our brains are powerfully attuned to narratives, so much so that we can recall well-told stories better than basic facts.

Our heartbeats synchronise while we're listening to stories, researchers find

That experience can be shared even if the people are far apart, as long as they are attentively listening to the story.

People synchronize heart rates while listening attentively to stories

People often unconsciously synchronize bodily functions like heartbeat and breathing when they share an experience, such as a live performance or have a personal conversation. According to a new study, subjects' heart rates synchronize even if they are just listening to a story by themselves, and this synchronization only occurs when the subjects are paying attention to the story.

Our heart rates synchronize when closely listening to the same stories

Even when the narrative is trivial and boring.

People Synchronize Heart Rates While Listening Attentively to Stories

Heart rate synchronization occurs, even when people listen to a story alone, when paying attention to certain points of a story.