Create More Art: The Positive Effects of Creativity for Health

We engage in artistic endeavors like writing, acting, sketching, or dancing just out of enjoyment. We have an innate sense that being creative is healthy and that pursuing our passions is what brings us joy. However, what is the scientific consensus regarding the advantages of creativity? Making things is undoubtedly a fundamental aspect of being human, regardless of the path we choose to explore our creativity and freedom of self-expression. Some people pursue creative endeavors as a pastime, while others make a profession from them. Since prehistoric times, humans have been creating. Our predecessors initially left footprints on cave walls about 39,900 years ago, including hand outlines and primitive animal images. We might even argue that it's in our DNA to build things; this has served us well throughout history as we've learned how to construct tools and shelters, prepare food, prepare medications for a variety of illnesses, and set bones. On occasion, though, we have made items purely for artistic purposes. Despite any philosophical objections to the contrary, a large body of medical research has indicated that art, and specifically creative expression, is beneficial to our mental and physical health.                                                            Let The Flow Come In ~                                                          (Source: Google Images)  Imagination Enhances Mental Well-Being ~  Using artistic and creative expression as a means of self-expression is similar to taking medication for mental health. Numerous studies have demonstrated the ability of creativity to reduce stress and anxiety. Additionally, creativity helps persons who have undergone trauma feel less ashamed, angry, and depressed. For soldiers suffering from PTSD, the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center offers an art therapy program. It might be challenging for veterans to vocally communicate their trauma. "Through art therapy, patients can convey how they feel on the inside and reveal things that they weren't comfortable sharing with the world," explains Tammy Shella, PhD, ATR-BC, manager of art therapy. Being creative puts you in a state of flow ~ Have you ever become so engrossed in journaling, making postcards from your most recent photos, or dancing to your favorite music that you forgot how much time was passing? You are given a task or activity your whole concentration throughout this period. It's sometimes referred to as "being in the zone."It's a great and frequently ecstatic condition to be in. We are calmer and more aware while we are in this state. This gives us a sense of accomplishment and makes us feel happier. Individuals who are in a state of flow report increased levels of happiness, productivity, and creativity. Some Tips And Tricks To Boost Your Creative Self  ~ Note: Perhaps we don't consider ourselves to be innovators or artists skilled in generating daring, original ideas. But the qualities that distinguish innovators are vitality, intellect, and self-control, all of which we possess to varied degrees. We can nonetheless find methods to develop our creativity even though we may not be artists or inventors by trade. Everybody can express themselves and think from different angles on a given subject. For those of us who did not thrive in art as children, the good news is that the therapeutic benefits occur while creating the art. They don't take into account the final product. 01. Draw or Paint ~                                                Let the Strokes Feed You Satisfaction ~                                                          (Source: Google Images)  A growing body of research demonstrates that activities like drawing and painting can relieve stress and depression. Artistic activities have been linked to improving memory and resilience in older adults, even helping seniors with dementia reconnect with the world. Actively making art rather than simply appreciating art has also been shown to stave off cognitive decline. 02. Sing or Play Music ~                                                             Listen More, Relax More ~                                                             (Source: Google Images)  Music bonds us. According to researchers, when we harmonize or synchronize with others, we have more positive feelings towards them.3 This occurs even if they aren’t in the same room. Singing raises oxytocin levels in both amateur and professional singers. If you’re not enamored with singing, do you like to just listen to music? Simply listening to music releases oxytocin. Music directly impacts oxytocin levels and oxytocin affects our ability to trust and socially connect to others. 03. Dance ~                                                    Dance it Out & Feel the Positive Vibe ~                                                               (Source: Google Images)  Dancing is not only fun, it’s good for you to move with music. Studies have shown that dancing relieves anxiety, improves the quality of life for cancer patients, and lowers the risk of dementia for older people. What is surprising in the research is that the benefit wasn’t due to physical exercise alone. Compared to other forms of exercise, dancing was the only exercise that made a difference. 04. Play ~                                                                   The Art Of Storytelling ~                                                                   (Source: Google Images)    While playing or storytelling might seem in the moment, there are psychological and developmental benefits that accrue and are long-lasting. Jennifer A. Perry, former VP of worldwide publishing at Sesame Workshop and executive director of Perry Educational Projects Consulting, points to the long-term benefits of play and creative pursuits.  She says, "By exploring imagination and creativity through art, storytelling, interactive games, music, and all kinds of play, children learn lifelong skills... how to express themselves, communicate with others, problem solve, develop self-confidence, appreciate diverse ideas and cultures, and find things that make them feel fulfilled and happy." Play isn’t just kid stuff. It’s also beneficial for adults. The National Institute for Play underscores the research that already exists on play: “A huge amount of existing scientific research—from neurophysiology, developmental and cognitive psychology, to animal play behavior, and evolutionary and molecular biology—contains rich data on play. The existing research describes patterns and states of play and explains how play shapes our brains, creates our competencies, and ballasts our emotions.” 05. Spend Time in Nature ~                                                     Nature Has Its Creative Roles In Our Lifes ~                                                                    (Source: Google Images)  A study titled “Creativity in the Wild: Improving Creative Reasoning Through Immersion in Natural Settings" showed how nature affects creativity.  A group of hikers who spent four days immersed in nature and disconnected from technological devices increased performance on a creativity/problem-solving task by 50%. Nature in this study provided emotionally positive stimuli. By reducing the usage of phones and computers, those in the study weren’t switching tasks or multi-tasking, attending to sudden events, maintaining task goals, or inhibiting irrelevant actions. Therefore, spending quality time in nature improved their creativity test scores. So, when you are stumped by problems, move away from the computer. It helps to think creatively about solutions and alternative options while walking in the garden or hiking in the park. Everything may appear dull or uninteresting due to the ordinary nature of our daily existence. The ultimate effect is a feeling of perpetually being stuck on a hamster wheel or numb sameness. Creative thinking generates original concepts and ideas. So get out of your routine and engage in enjoyable and lighthearted activities for yourself. Playing, singing, dancing, and creating art will not only lift your spirits but also invigorate and restore you.