Art & Wellbeing
It's no secret that engaging in art is good for our health and wellbeing.
While making finger-puppets with your kids or dancing to your favourite tune may just seem like a silly bit of fun, these kinds of activities can actually make a world of difference to your overall quality of life.
Although people have long appreciated the importance of art in social and cultural progress, doctors and scientists have more recently discovered just how effective art and creative activities can be in benefiting our physical, mental and emotional health.
Leaning on the expertise of people working in fields of psychology, public health and art therapy, this article will explore six ways that art can improve your welbeing.
1. Reduces Stress
Our modern way of life is full of different stresses and triggers for all of us, young and old.
Studies have shown that the number of people struggling with stress and anxiety is at an all time high. As well as harming our mental and emotional wellbeing and impacting our enjoyment of life, stress can take a huge toll on our physical health, increasing the rik of developing heart disease, cancer and diabetes and lowering our life expectancy.
Engaging in creative hobbies such as painting, drawing or pottery can help calm our nervous systems, reduce stress-inducing hormones like cortisol and put us in a place of ease and relaxation. With regular engagement, the overall benefits of reducing stress through art can be immense - keeping us calmer and healthier in an oftentimes stressful and overwhelming world.
2. Releases emotions
Emotional wellbeing is vital in our ability to create a happy and fulfilling life and contribute to society.
We have all experienced emotional turmoil at some point in our lives. However, for many people, moving past these difficult experiences can be a struggle and their ability to cope with day-to-day life can be adversely affected. During challenging times and without adequate emotional resources or support, people often turn to unhealthy means of releasing or numbing their emotions - and in extreme cases this can lead to addiction or antisocial behaviour.
Artistic activities such as writing, poetry or performing music are fantastic opportunities for people to feel, express and release tehir emotions in a safe, healthy and productive way. Not only is this incredibly cathartic but it can also lead to an overall improvement in emotional wellbeing through increased self-awareness and emotional regulation.
3. Heals trauma
Psychological trauma can have serious, long-term impacts on people's health and wellbeing.
Traumatic events such as childhood abuse and domestic violence are far more common than many people would like to believe. Motor accidents, divorce and the loss of a loved one can also push our ability to cope over the edge, leaving us with psychological scars that can affect us for the rest of our lives.
Research by Dr Bessel Van Der Kolk, a leading expert in psychology and trauma, shows the vital role that movement, play and other forms of joyful engagement have in healing traumatic experiences. Art forms such as drama, dance and yoga are particularly effective at releasing and healing traumatic experiences held in the mind-body system.
4. Develops cognition
Learning is an essential part of being human. No matter what age we are, the drive to discover and develop more skills and knowledge is universal.
During our childhood years, our cognitive development is at its peak. Studies show that engaging in artistic and creative activities is important for children's cognitive growth, immensely improving their ability to think creatively and problem-solve throughout their lives. Participating in these activities during childhood can therefore have long-lasting benefits for people's wellbeing through developing their ability to overcome obstacles and excel in a range of careers.
Art projects with people dealing with dementia and Alzheimer's disease have also proven the benefits of art for cognitive functioning later in life, showing a significant improvement in participants' memory recall and mental capacities.
5. Improves fitness
Many forms of art involve movement and can help our bodies improve in strength, flexibility and fitness.
Whilst strutting and skipping in a zumba class, kicking and striking in a martial arts contest or stretching and posing in a yoga session, our bodies are given an excellent work-out.
Taking care of our health through exercising can bring immense benefits to our overall quality of life by strengthening our resilience to illness and disease and increasing feel-good hormones like dopamine and endorphins. Fun and creative forms of movement and exercise also make taking care of our physical health more enjoyable, and can help us ground ourselves and connect with our bodies.
6. Creates social bonds
Meeting new people and developing friendships can sometimes be hard in our rapidly digitalizing world.
Attending an art class or event is a fantastic way to widen your social circle, develop fun and meaningful relationships with others and strengthen your support network.
Art groups can also be a powerful method of creating communities of people connected through common interests and passions, and improving social cohesion, local participation and public spaces. As social creatures, building strong social bonds and being part of a cohesive community are essential in creating an environment that supports and nourishes our wellbeing.
So there we have it! Art and creative activities bring a huge range of benefits to people's health and wellbeing, whether through helping us heal and express our feelings, improve our mental states and fitness levels, or develop our social support networks and local communities. We hope you enjoyed this article and have more inspiration than ever to pursue your creative interests and take care of your wellbeing.
