Why looking back at photos is good for your mind and your mood

Look at your smartphone photos right now. What’s in there? For many of us, our own personal image galleries are a collection of the mundane: a quick pic of our lunch, a blurry photo of a parking spot and endless screengrabs of things to remember later.

Social media, with its perfectly curated snapshots, can make our everyday moments seem unworthy of capturing. But perhaps those “insignificant” moments matter more than we realise. They reveal connections and unique threads that weave our life stories together.

Does the true power of looking back on old photos lie not in their visual appeal or shareability, but in how they anchor us in life’s moments, no matter how ordinary they seem? What if looking at photo memories could help us rediscover feelings of joy, connection or accomplishment, and gently uplift our self-esteem?

Here we explore how looking back on old photo albums can boost our mind, body and soul connection, helping us appreciate the fact that life, with all its complexities, is worth capturing and cherishing.

The science of nostalgia and its impact on psychological wellbeing

Experiencing nostalgia can often be brushed off as sentimentality or seen negatively as living in the past. However, a growing body of scientific research supports the view that nostalgia is good for our mental health and helps us to regulate our emotions. Looking back on positive experiences, it turns out, helps us reflect on our personal growth, process emotions and find closure in past events. It also reminds us of the people we love and fosters a greater sense of continuity in our lives. 

Think about it: in moments when you’re feeling down, your mind can unexpectedly drift back to a cherished memory, such as building sandcastles as a child with your siblings. In these moments, you can almost relive the laughter and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. 

These nostalgic reflections aren’t about escaping the present day. Rather, they’re our brain’s way of offering respite from acute stress. This is especially true for young people, as one study found that looking at personal photos boosted children’s self-esteem, helping them foster a sense of belonging and to feel secure. 

For older generations, too, studies have found that reliving happy memories in photos improves cognitive function, elevates mood and increases social engagement.

So, while it's certainly possible for negative feelings to trigger nostalgic longing, its underlying purpose isn’t to trap us in the past, but to help us navigate the present with resilience and renewed optimism for the future.

Revisiting shared journeys to bring our loved ones closer

The busy pace of modern life makes it easy to lose touch with the people who matter most. As humans, we’re programmed to nurture cherished relationships, yet the tech-driven modern world often drives us further apart.

Fortunately, connection thrives in small everyday moments – impromptu coffee meet-ups, helping a friend move furniture or even just a FaceTime call filled with gossip and in-jokes. And while these small interactions may not be the most photogenic or shareable experiences, creating tangible reminders of these connections and looking back on them has been proven to help people overcome feelings of loneliness and depression. 

So, for those of us who don’t put a lot of effort into documenting our lives in photos, remembering to take quick candid snaps of your daily interactions anyway – even if they’re not perfectly posed portraits to post on social media – can help build this healthy mindful practice. 

Sharing these tiny photo memories can help you spark deeper conversations and might provide inspiration for meaningful questions: Asking, “Remember when this was taken?” and sharing how you felt helps bridge physical distance and bring you closer to the people that matter most. 

Additionally, even when loved ones are no longer with us and looking at old photos triggers sadness or grief, focusing on the positive memories allows you to reflect and express your gratitude for the role they played in your life.

On developing an emotional memory archive

The average smartphone user holds around 2,000 images on their phone and stores potentially thousands more in the cloud and on various digital memory cards. Plus, let’s not forget that many of us also have photo albums and boxes brimming with dusty old photos, perhaps even reels of undeveloped film, lurking in deep storage. 

These vast, disorganised hoards hold the potential for powerful connection and reflection – especially if we take the time to compile old photos into meaningful emotional archives. 

So, where to begin? Here are a host of ways to organise your photos into mood-boosting photo archives to look back on.

• Use the KonMari Method to sort your images into emotional themes: developed by professional organiser Marie Kondo, the KonMari Method encourages you to look through your photos one by one and ask yourself: “Does this image spark joy?” or other common emotional themes you would like your visual story to evoke, such as accomplishment, gratitude or connection. 

• Use big events as chronological anchor points in your story: identify photos depicting major life milestones such as marriages, births and holidays – images with clear dates attached to them. Then, fill in the gaps with surrounding photos to build your visual autobiography. Check digital timestamps or look for visual cues in the frame to help place each moment in your chronological timeline.

• Use recurring themes: group your images by recurring visual details such as days out in nature, family get-togethers or hobbies. This technique can help you compile photo memories into a coherent narrative that highlights the common interests and connections you share with friends and family – even on ordinary days.

• Amplify emotion with your photo sequencing: place images that have a relationship side by side can be fun and also create nostalgic emotions. For example, find an old photo of yourself as a child with your favourite toy and your own child playing with theirs. Revealing unexpected connections between details can help you see familiar subjects in a brand-new light.

• Ask friends and family to contribute: to truly unlock the psychological benefits of photo albums, go beyond the image and incorporate the voices of those who shared the moments. Ask family for quotes about the photos they’re in and include them as captions.

Turning photo memories into works of art

Displaying nostalgic photos is a powerful form of creative expression that celebrates your past and reinforces emotional bonds in the present. 

Whether you create gallery walls or intimate vignettes with photo prints, these displays add personality, warmth and timeless elegance to your living space. Consider mixing Polaroid-style prints with square frame photo tiles for a modern, easily changeable arrangement. You can also incorporate personal items like concert tickets or postcards to add depth and context to your visual storytelling.

Alternatively, creating sleek and display-worthy photo books can help you relive precious moments whenever you need a dose of nostalgic comfort. 

Remember, curating these displays can be a collaborative process, allowing you and your loved ones to reflect on joyful moments or find comfort in difficult times. So, share this article and create meaningful keepsakes together with Popsa. We’d love to see your creations – tag @Popsa on Instagram.