a thing that is known or proved to be true.
information used as evidence or as part of a report or news article.
dictionary
The Surprising Way Art Makes you Healthier
Art can make you healthier both mentally and physically. Mentally, art can help you be present. You can engage in activities where you focus on what is in front of you.
It is also a great tool to break down and analyze your problems, and to have a better attitude. It is a great way to express what you are feeling or thinking without having to express it with words. You can gain a better perspective to determine if your problems are real or are just occurring in your mind.
Physically, art lowers your stress levels and helps your immune system function better. Overall art makes you healthier because it brings you tranquility and mindfulness. In the long term, art might be a remedy for many emotional troubles.
What circumstances benefit from artistic activities?
- When under stress or pressure
- Depression
- Mental health problems
- Learning disabilities
- Personal problems
- Some medical conditions
Use art as an activity to relax. Don’t think of it as a way to cure yourself, or to create something extraordinary. Remember what is important is the process itself, not the outcome. You are not looking to participate in a gallery (or maybe you could). Above all, you are looking to savor the process, to engage in creative ventures. The outcome could be surprisingly beneficial in the long term.
But how can you do that? What types of activities are good for you? Which forms of art make you healthier?
How to use art therapeutically:
- Expressing yourself
- Playing music
- Playing an instrument
- Painting and Drawing
- Coloring
1. Express yourself
Go to a museum and visit an exhibition, join a class or enroll in a guided tour.
A few years ago, I was in Liverpool’s Art Gallery and a professor was explaining the pre-Raphaelite paintings. For instance, he was talking about John Everett Millais’ painting Isabella.
He encouraged the audience to make wild guesses about the symbolism present in Millais’ painting. After listening to his audience, he explained what he knew about the painting in detail. Briefly, as the professor revealed, the painting shows the moment when Isabella’s brothers realize that she is having a romance with Lorenzo. Every object in the painting symbolizes how they plan to murder Lorenzo so they can marry Isabella to someone wealthier.
All the people present were actively imagining what the elements of the painting symbolized. People were trying to explain what the objects on the table represented. Also, the meaning behind the stares between the characters, etc. All that observing and engaging of the public was the incarnation of an artistic experience of mindfulness.
Being present in the museum and going beyond what is obvious to the eye was mesmerizing. More importantly, interacting with other people but also indirectly with the artist itself, is a therapeutic form of art. Also, this helps develop more empathy and tolerance for others. This will bring you better communication skills and a better perspective toward difficult situations.
When you analyze someone else’s art, you put your artistic persona in conjunction with your logic. The interaction between you and the painting is a way of radiating your sensitive part to a rational world.
You become present, consequently, you express your artistic perspective and you can disconnect from ruminating thoughts.
2. Playing recorded music, art that makes you healthier
Listen to your favorite music at a high volume.
This has a simple explanation, your brain liberates endorphins (which is a natural opiate) when you are happy. This happens automatically when you feel less stressed and increase your enjoyment. If you want to read further, the complete study is from the University of Manchester.
Now, your task is to look for music that you like and then listen to it for a while. You can learn the lyrics if you want (if there are any), turn up the volume, and enjoy.
Enjoy the effect of endorphins and enjoy your favorite music. It does feel better to sing in the shower than to think about the past, doesn’t it?
3. Playing an instrument
Forget about the world immersing in music through your motor skills.
Do you concentrate on a task that stimulates your intelligence and your motor skills? Then, have you noticed that your body is doing something all by itself? Do you see you can perform a set of patterns that you didn’t think you were capable of doing? It feels great, doesn’t it?
That’s what happens when you learn to play an instrument. You are making a concentrated effort for a while, and then all of a sudden you can play a tune.
Even beyond that, the music that comes out of the instrument is a big satisfying reward. Certainly, it is something beautiful that you are producing with your own hands.
While you are performing, you are being in the present because you concentrate so much on doing it right. You focus on reading sheet music or repeating from a recording. Either way, you have to be completely present, or otherwise, you won’t be able to play the instrument. It is difficult to do two things at the same time when you are playing an instrument. A music performer concentrates all the time. There are so many things that need attention. For example, the notes, the rhythm, the fingers, the tempo, the volume, the intention they want to transmit, and so on.
You are achieving mindfulness, and that liberates you immediately of your worries and places you in the present moment. Your focus is on that second that the note lasts, on your performance, and in the enjoyment of music.
Many people are even using music as a form of meditation.
4. Painting and Drawing, a form of art to make you healthier
Express your emotions visually without thinking about the result.
When you are drawing you are most of the time putting a 3D object into a 2D perspective. You are looking at shadows, color combinations, and shapes meticulously. The change of perspective and creativity places you in the present moment: it engages you visually.
You can immerse yourself in the creation and decide whether or not it reflects what you are feeling. You can simply draw letting your imagination flow, or you can use your emotions as a source of inspiration. This is exactly why this is a form of therapeutic art. This is why art can make you healthier.
You can express your emotions by drawing or painting, or you can just draw what is in front of you. Both forms involve your creative persona. Consciously or unconsciously you are exposing what is inside of you visually. Now, you need to make it a habit and you will be able to interpret your emotions better.
What happens when you combine two colors? What happens when you place that shape in that pattern or one direction or another? This powerful technique, for example, helps you be more in touch with your intuition.
5. Coloring
What is the difference between painting and coloring? Why can you be mindful with both?
Painting and coloring are like meditation because sometimes you repeat a pattern that engages your brain. Coloring repeatedly is like breathing when you meditate.
That’s the difference with coloring. Some people find it easier to concentrate on something that they are seeing. Some people like having a plan in front of them.
You can use coloring books, or color your doodles or a repetitive pattern you have created.
Be here today, enjoy art, and the way it makes you healthier. Engage and value mindfulness activities.
I listened to John Downland’s Galliards while doing this research. I must confess the music placed me in the baroque. Also, the trees outside made me think of scenes from Jane Austen’s books.
Science Asserts the Value of Art for Mental Health
Science has proven that art is good for mental health because it puts you in the here and now.
Why do you want to be present?
Because you want to be able to control the only thing you actually can, and that is your thoughts.
By being present you are thinking about what is in front of you. You stop worrying about things that either you can’t change at all or have no control whatsoever at this moment.
If you feel stuck or desperate, then it is time to give your mind a break. Teach it to live in the present, because it is the only thing we truly have. It is the only time we actually can do something.
If you realize you have a pattern of not living in the present, give yourself credit for that. Don’t beat yourself up, and be grateful for the experiences you’ve had because everything is as it should be. It is time to help your mind rewire itself to live in the present.
Read further and discover how art is a great tool to give your thinking mind a break. Also, you will learn how it can change your mind to adapt to a more positive and mindful state.
How can you tell you are overthinking?
- Stuck at the same point after trying constantly to come up with a solution.
- Judge every one of your decisions.
- Reality is way simpler and maybe happier than the way you are thinking about it.
- Look online constantly trying to find answers and you are not moving forward.
It is hard not to think, and sometimes you suffer because you are concentrating on trying not to think. Now, to move on, you have several options, and art is one of them.
It is a great way to let go of the things you cannot change, things not in your control. Also, let go of trying to come up with answers and engage in artistic creation. Don’t torment yourself by trying to change things, allow your creative being to take over.
It is okay to trust your rational thoughts to analyze some decisions. But, if you haven’t come up with a solution, choose a creative form of expression. Use art instead. Making art is very easy to implement and you have nothing to lose. Give art a chance.
The use of art has shown to have great benefits. Look at this research that shows how science has proven that art benefits your mental health.
What things do you need to start using art for mental health?
- Time
- Some materials
You just need two things. Also, the willingness to change something and to live in the here and now.
According to science, this is how your mental health benefits from using art:
- Improves self-esteem
- Relieves stress
- Increases empathy and tolerance
- Helps with the burden of chronic pain
- Promotes brain plasticity
- Develops a growth mindset
- Boosts creative thinking
Below you’ll see in detail each one of these aspects put into practice. Also, you’ll find great resources for you to read further and tips to engage in artistic activities.
Art is the daughter of freedom.
Friedrich Schiller
1. Improves Self-Esteem
If you think about it, the number one thing that interferes with our self-esteem is our thoughts. If you keep your feelings to yourself, you might end up hurting yourself even more.
With art, you can express and put into perspective all the thoughts bothering you. You will gain perspective and notice when your mind is complicating things.
Imagine that art serves as a filter that suppresses bad feelings. If you start, for instance, playing an instrument, you will focus on playing the instrument and your mind will quiet. When you express yourself artistically, your negative thoughts begin to disappear and you become mindful of the situation.
Remember that engaging in art is not about the outcome, but the process itself. So when you make art, your results give you a feeling of accomplishment. No matter what you did, you produced something beautiful that you can share with others if you want to.
Here are some activities you can try.
2. Relieves Stress
A scientific study shows the possible benefits of art for mental health by analyzing cortisol levels. The study shows that cortisol lowers and dopamine rises when you engage in artistic activities. As simple as that.
The idea is to use self-directed art to guide yourself to anything you want to express. Use art freely and later pay attention to what came up. It’s like splashing paint on a piece of paper. Later you can analyze what you have created or what thoughts have arisen.
Whether it is constantly bugging you or something that just popped into your head, express it.
Use your troubles as a source of inspiration, as these artists did.
Can you imagine a world without The Scream by Munch? How impoverished would it be?
This is not to encourage you to feel depressed or anxious. It is to encourage you to analyze what is going on in your head. Sometimes you can feel stressed or anxious and it’s normal, use it as inspiration for a beautiful creation. Other times you are incredibly happy, then paint sunflowers instead and spread your joyfulness to the world.
You can use art to learn to distinguish your feelings and you get to know yourself better. This lowers stress as well because you realize what your target is and you can work on it directly.
3. Increases Empathy and Tolerance
First, why is empathy something good to cultivate?
Empathy allows you to manage your feelings because you perceive your troubles from a different perspective. You will have more tools to feel less stressed or overwhelmed by what is happening to you.
If you develop your empathy you will be able to handle difficult situations better. For example, at work. The better you communicate and understand how to handle situations the more others will be able to understand you.
Now, if you want the benefits of cultivating empathy, use art, go to museums and galleries. Think: How could you express your feelings towards others by painting?
This study shows how people became more tolerant and understood how others lived in the past, by looking at paintings.
Caring about others, and caring for a greater good takes your mind from what is bothering you. Also, you’ll gain a little perspective on whether your troubles are all that catastrophic.
Surprisingly music can increase empathy as well.
Again, thinking about others and how others suffer gives you a better perspective of your own life. Listening to music from different countries will broaden your cultural knowledge, and will also help you be more tolerant.
4. Helps with the Burden of Chronic Pain
That big pain or constant despair can be less of a burden. You can try to express it without words as Frida Khalo did.
Take away the pressure of things you can’t change. Physical pain has two possible outcomes: you are in the process of healing, or you can’t do anything about it.
Either way, it is not in your hands. It is your body’s or the doctors’ responsibility. The best thing you can do to help your mind is to release any tension associated with it.
You can release the tension and free your mind by doing something that will help you ignore the constant pain.
Science has shown how therapeutic art expression can help with this health problem. You have to try to ignore the stimuli coming from your body.
For example, the cellist Pablo Casals played piano. He did right after he woke up and later in the afternoon. Both times of the day to cope with the pain of arthritis.
He didn’t use medication (although always consult with a doctor) and his therapy for pain didn’t have any side effects.
5. Promotes Brain Plasticity
Brain plasticity is the ability of your brain to change and adapt due to certain experiences. You create new networks in your brain to help you adapt, learn new abilities, and create memories.
If you think about it, you can rewire your brain to be working with you and not against you. A way to do this is, for example, to think positively.
If you want to learn further in the matter look at this book.
How science shows art enhances mental health and brain plasticity?
Just by engaging in a new activity, your brain starts forming new circuits, so choose positive and beneficial activities. Research has shown that brain changes with stimuli.
If you repeatedly make something beneficial, you will want to continue doing it due to the positive results. For example, develop an artistic routine where you are constantly rewarding your brain with positivity.
This is how an artistic routine rewires the brain positively:
- By the feeling of accomplishment when making art without thinking about the results.
- By being present and focusing on reality. Listen more to your emotions, not so much to how you label them.
- By lowering feelings of anxiety when you get in sync with your breath.
6. Develops a Growth Mindset
It doesn’t matter how talented you are, artistic creations don’t come out of the blue. Art creations do not just pop up after buying watercolors or touching keys or strings on an instrument nonsensically. Creations arise when you work and express using these tools.
Get in touch with your emotions, your soul, and your motor skills to produce something. Start to love the process because you will enjoy getting in touch with your true self. The purpose of being creative is for you to express through your creations without using words.
This is a powerful way to develop a growth mindset. When you appreciate the process, use art therapeutically, and acknowledge that your effort is a valuable resource.
Why science encourages an artistic growth mindset for a healthy mind?
Because no matter what, even if you are the luckiest person alive, you will encounter some adversity in your life. It is just statistics.
With a growth mindset you know you can work things out and face obstacles step by step. Also, you address your problems and try different paths to find a solution. You don’t feel easily discouraged with a growth mindset.
Art teaches you to think that way. That no matter the circumstances and obstacles, you have the tools to work towards what you want.
7. Boosts Creative Thinking
With creative thinking, you look at things with a fresh perspective.
What does that mean?
You focus on things as they are, and consequently, you listen deeply to your true self. Also, you use your creativity to address some situations with a better perspective.
Imagine you could focus on the colors, textures, shapes, and shadows of the things you see. You’ll start to perceive and appreciate the things surrounding you. Also, you’ll start to develop an artistic mindset.
Science encourages the use of art and creative thinking for mental health. This is because you don’t depend on current or past situations.
Brainstorming, diagram solutions, and color coding are all artistic tools that broaden your perspective on what you are working on. Using your creativity gives you more tools to figure things out. Get a wider perspective on things by looking into their details and subtleties.
You will become more open-minded if you are in touch with your creativity. Besides, you will communicate better, and develop that part of your brain that wants to express itself more freely.
Let your creativity take over, be practical, and just let your soul speak. Art is a way of expressing what you cannot put into words.
Art is a great resource as a therapeutic solution for your mind. If you want to read further you can look here. Trust how science backs up the use of art for mental health. It is a great reassurance for its use.
Don’t think too much and just give it time. You will love the results.