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Expert explains why 'stepping into a room' could leave you feeling drained

Home> News> Health

Published 20:26 27 Mar 2025 GMT

Expert explains why 'stepping into a room' could leave you feeling drained

Neuroscientist Dr Wendy Suzuki also shared how to stop the feeling from happening

Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton

A neuroscientist has lifted the lid on why you might 'instantly' feel drained after walking into a room.

If you've had a poor sleep the night before, then you'll probably feel drained whatever room you're walking in to, but there are other reasons why you might feel this way.

I'm not sure about you, but if my colleagues at work are stressed, I'll often feel it too.

Arguably there's nothing worse than walking into the office and that wave of tension hits you like a bad smell. But there's a medical term for people who take on other people's emotions, and that's something called emotional contagion.

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People's stress can be very apparent in workplaces (Getty Stock Images)
People's stress can be very apparent in workplaces (Getty Stock Images)

As per Psychology Today, this is defined as 'the phenomenon in which a person unconsciously mirrors or mimics the emotions of those around them'.

Explaining this in more detail, neuroscientist Dr Wendy Suzuki said in a video shared to Instagram: "Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt drained? You might be absorbing stress that's not even yours."

Dr Suzuki went on: "It's called emotional contagion and it's thought to be due, at least in part, to mirror neurons.

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"Your brain's mechanism of sinking up with the emotions of those around you. When someone's anxious, frustrated or stressed, your brain can automatically mirror those feelings, making you feel the same way."

Dr Wendy Suzuki is an acclaimed neuroscientist (Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images)
Dr Wendy Suzuki is an acclaimed neuroscientist (Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images)

But there are ways to tackle this problem, says Dr Suzuki, who is also the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at New York University.

She urged people to try the method 'observe, don't absorb'.

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READ MORE:

10 SIGNS THAT INDICATE YOU'RE A HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON

SIMPLE TRICK TO HELP YOU MAKE BETTER DECISIONS

To do this, the first step is to pause and ask if the stress or whatever negative emotion you're mimicking is yours.

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Dr Suzuki has her own book that 'transforms the way we think about our brain' (John Lamparski/WireImage)
Dr Suzuki has her own book that 'transforms the way we think about our brain' (John Lamparski/WireImage)

"Step 2, shift from reacting to observing," the neuroscientists continued. "Picture emotions as passing clouds, not something you have to carry."

For the final step, Dr Suzuki says to 'breathe and reset' by doing something like stepping outside, listening to music, or to focus on something grounding.

"Your energy is yours to protect," she added.

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The healthcare expert boasts 144,000 followers on Instagram and often used the social media platform to share tips with people when it comes to psychology.

Dr Suzuki also has a book called Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image

Topics: Mental Health, News, Psychology, Science, Life, Instagram

Niamh Shackleton
Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton is an experienced journalist for UNILAD, specialising in topics including mental health and showbiz, as well as anything Henry Cavill and cat related. She has previously worked for OK! Magazine, Caters and Kennedy.

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@niamhshackleton

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