Our internal thoughts and feelings may be difficult to verbalize; art provides a tool for getting these outside of ourselves and releasing intense emotions. This feels cathartic and enhances emotional resiliency, making you more apt to handle whatever hardships life throws your way.
It stimulates communication between parts of the brain and enhances neuroplasticity, or the ability to form connections between brain cells, allowing your brain to function more effectively and improving memory.
It relieves stress and anxiety, relaxes the mind, and creates a sense of calm. Entering a calm state also has physical benefits, such as: reducing blood pressure, improving your energy level, reducing pain, and even reducing symptoms of chronic illness.
It gives you an opportunity to problem-solve and implement flexible-thinking. When you make art, things do not go exactly as planned and you are constantly faced with choices. This improves problem-solving and flexible thinking in other areas of your life.
It makes you feel good. Making art activates the release of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as dopamine (which makes you feel good) and reduces cortisol levels (which is the stress hormone), thus reducing depression and improving your mood.
It improves attention. Focusing on art and getting lost in creativity activates and strengthens the brain’s attention system, thus actually making you more attentive when you are not creating art.
Not so sure if making art can enhance your life? Try it and see these benefits for yourself!
