Mental Health Benefits of Art
May is national mental health month. So we wanted to look into how art can be a positive factor to one's mental health. But there are some misconceptions about art. Some may think that being a “real” artist means that you have to be in museums and others believe that you are either born with talent or not. But we are all born with the internal desire to express ourselves. So that is why we believe that an artist is not a special kind of person; rather each person is a special kind of artist. Art is for everyone and it has been proven that art can provide a tremendous amount of benefits to one's life. So here are three points on how art can be a positive impact on your mental health.
-making art can significantly reduce stress-related hormones in your body. (After the very scientific craft party, researchers tested the participants’ cortisol levels. Approximately 75 percent of the participants displayed lower levels of cortisol, indicating lower stress levels after making art)
-Creating art provides a distraction, giving your brain a break from your usual thoughts.
-Everyone is creative and can be expressive in the visual arts when working in a supportive setting
2. Art Increases Brain Connectivity and Plasticity
-Your brain’s ability to grow connections and change throughout your lifetime is called brain plasticity or neuroplasticity.
-Every time you engage in a new or complex activity, your brain creates new connections between brain cells. Out-of-the-box thinking also stimulates your brain to grow new neurons.
-Art encourages creative thinking
-Creative thinking does not mean using the right side of your brain. It involves getting both hemispheres of your brain communicating with each other.
-It’s thought that intelligence depends more on the number of brain connections than the size of your brain. So art can make you a smarter person!
-Albert Einstein said that “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
3.Art Boosts Self-Esteem and Provides a Sense of Accomplishment
-Creating art increases the “feel good” neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine has been called the “motivation molecule.” It boosts drive, focus, and concentration. It enables you to plan ahead and resist impulses so you can achieve your goals.
-Crafting hobbies of all kinds — knitting, quilting, sewing, drawing, photography, woodworking, gardening, and paint and sips (like Pinot’s Palette) — increase dopamine, ward off depression, and protect the brain from aging.
So with this all said, make sure you take some time off during your day to relieve that stress and let the sparks of creativity run through you. And I hope you won’t put off exploring your artistic side any longer! So pick up those crayons and grab a adult coloring book and celebrate with us the benefits of art!
“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.”— Pablo Picasso.