Have you ever given any thought to why we love escape rooms? If you think about it, we are willingly paying a fee to be locked in a room – and have to figure out a way to escape. Logically, it seems silly and doesn’t make much sense at all.
Yet, we do it. Again. And again. And again.
Maybe it is about coming together and working as a team. Maybe it is the thrill of figuring out the puzzle. Maybe it is even the fear of not getting out that puts feelings of motivation and determination into high gear.
Here is a look at the psychology behind why we love escape rooms.
Escape Rooms Offer Something Different
Regardless of how much it is needed, a night out can be exciting until the time actually arrives. Dinner, drinks, bowling, a game of pool, a movie, and so on – they are all predictable experiences.
Escape rooms spice things up. They present us with a challenge and a real change of pace.
Here we can put down our cell phones, walk away from emails, and turn off the noise. Together, we have one job – to escape.
The best part is that even if we have been here before, the rules change. We likely won’t be able to escape the same way we did last time.
Escape Rooms Bring People Together
In an escape room, we have to think. We will stimulate our minds, work on our social skills, and hone our performances. We can be vulnerable and a hero all at the same time. We will cheer and argue and maybe even snap at someone we love. And it’s best if we expect some tears, too.
Oddly, however, by the time it is over, the experience within the escape room has brought us together even more. It is bonding. Win or lose, we are a team.
Escape Rooms Get the Adrenaline Moving
The adrenal glands and the cortisol from our brains get the body ready for the stress it is going to face. Our blood will circulate faster, our breathing will speed up, and we are going to feel the weight of the task ahead of us.
This type of stress is done in a safe, controlled environment – and that makes it exciting to experience time and time again.
The Science of Escape in Salt Lake City
There are certain emotions that we cannot reach in our daily lives. At least, not in the way we experience them in escape rooms. Yet putting ourselves in a situation that gives us all the feels can be as exciting as it is terrifying.
Visiting an escape room in Salt Lake City may start off with fear. We’re locked in a room. We’re stuck. It doesn’t matter if we have been here before – once that door shuts, fear sets in.
Then, as we find clues and we try to piece things together as the clock is ticking, confusion may arise – and the heart really starts pumping.
Once we solve a puzzle or two, we get excited. We are feeling like we are on fire. We dive in deeper with this positive motivation – only to hit a wall and begin feeling hopeless. We’re never going to get out.
Finally, a light bulb goes off – and we’re out! Feelings of victory abound!
Still wonder why we love escape rooms so much? Maybe you should try it for yourself.
Gardner Village is located in West Jordan and is home to locally-owned shops, restaurants, and beautiful event venues nestled around the historic Gardner Mill & Silo.
