We do everything we can to work on ourselves and do things that are good for our mental health. We walk, listen to music, meditate, start yoga, eat healthier or take it slower. Now there is something additional: viewing and making art. These are the effects of art on our (mental) health.
Art in general
What do you think of when you think of art? It’s different for everyone and there isn’t really an answer. A large part may think of paintings, but it goes much further than that. It consists of theatre, photography, music, singing, dance, film and video, animation, creative writing, textile, embroidery or knitting and so on. You visit or create it. It is important for humans and it has a positive influence on your health and well-being.
To look at
Looking at art that you like is a pleasant experience. It inspires, brings relaxation and, without you even realizing it, it also does something inside. It lowers your stress hormone cortisol and has positive effects on your mood and physical health. This is because watching creates a lot of brain activity, which causes the brain to fantasize and initiate the creative process. It provides distraction, which has a soothing effect on pain. For this reason, art often hangs in hospitals.
To make
Making art affects your health in several ways. First of all, you stimulate different areas in your brain: you learn to devise, implement, recognize mistakes, change plans, persevere and adapt. Improve processes in the brain, allowing you to concentrate better and reduce the risk of brain diseases such as dementia. It also ensures better mental health. It improves anxiety regulation in your brain and, just like seeing art, provides distraction and pleasure. Creating helps with trauma processing. A traumatic experience is stored in your brain in a better way, making it easier to process. Special, right?
Freedom
When we create we feel a sense of freedom. There is no right or wrong way to be creative. Perhaps in the beginning there is a great feeling of doubt and a blockage because you ‘can’t think of anything’, but once you get started, there is a kind of carelessness that you experienced during childhood. It teaches you to take risks and try new things. So sign up for that ‘acting’ course or get that sewing machine out of the closet again. Have fun!
Together
The great thing about art is that it brings people together. A museum visit with a friend, a cabaret performance with your partner or a creative workshop with your brother. These are experiences that sometimes stay with you for a long time, and they also make you happy.
