I know. It sounds odd. Yet numerous studies over the years have shown that simply creating art can help our physical bodies and mental health. These are just a couple of examples, backed by medical research.
- Improved memory, and reasoning: How many times have you been flipping through your photos on your phone to clear up memory and you come across pictures you don’t even remember taking? Yeah. With modern technology, we aren’t experiencing anything around us anymore. Are those people frantically recording at concerts enjoying and experiencing it? Or are they going to have to relive it through those videos? Creating art makes you pay attention to something and view it in a different way. When you paint a flower you will not simply paint the flower. Instead, you will study the small details of the flower, visually absorbing everything you see. As you observe and replicate characteristics such as color and shape, you are practicing conceptual visualization. Paying close attention to the small details of your surroundings allows for better memory retention while fostering a greater understanding of the world around you.
- Processing Emotions: Many people, neurodivergents in particular, can struggle with understanding or knowing their own emotions. They can be overwhelming or confusing. Art is a way to express them when you can’t put them into words. Some people journal and write everything out. However I know, for me, words are not my strong point and I cannot always express what I want in words. If my husband asks what’s wrong…I can’t always properly explain what’s wrong. So art can help get the motions out, rather than bottling them up, which in turn can lead to lower levels of frustration.
- Enhanced Quality of Life: Creating art can give a person a sense of control over their life. For the brief time they are creating art, they are in complete control. Furthermore, if practicing intuitive art, over time, they learn to trust their gut instincts. Following what they want to do in the art improves self-esteem. Especially when the person enjoys the end result. When an idea doesn’t work out, they learn it’s not the end of the world. You adjust your plan for the art and still enjoy the result. This leads to them being better able to positively react to hiccups in life and therefore adapt better.
- Reduced Stress and Anxiety: It’s no surprise that making art can reduce stress. Its mindfulness! Just like in meditation, you are focusing on the present moment. You are fully focused on the piece in front of you. Doesn’t matter if it is abstract so you are following your gut and feelings, or a still life so you are closely examining what you see in front of you. Either way, you are fully present in that moment. Learning to be present in the moment can lower overall stress and anxiety because you are not worried about what you said to someone at the bar or what you might have to do over the weekend. The more often you are in this state, the better your body gets at being present, because (just like with meditation) it can help rewire your brain connections.
- Improved Sleep and Lower Blood Pressure: The reduction of stress leads to improvements in the physical body as well such as lower blood pressure and improved sleep. If you are in a stressed state less, your body isn’t in fight or flight, so your heart rate is lower, your heart isn’t pumping as hard and your blood pressure decreases. A more consistent relaxed state also makes it much easier to fall asleep and get better quality sleep. Sleep is one of the most, if not the, most important thing in your health. It’s when your body recovers, and your brain processes. If you are someone with a fitness tracker, you might notice on days when you have good sleep, you burn more calories and have a lower heart rate. So it’s not just the brain that needs art.