Healing Benefits of Art You Should Know

There is a rising amount of evidence to support the fact that art promotes our health. It has a positive impact on the brain, the brain wave patterns and emotions, the nervous system, boosting serotonin levels. It can completely alter how one perceives the world.

From overall educational achievement to improved social development, there is countless research to support that art impacts one at almost all levels of life and fosters healing.

Unknown to many people, simply taking a walk in the art gallery can produce a series of benefits like creativity, improved emotional balance, and many more. It is safe to conclude that art is essential and primal to a highly functional individual and society overall.

Here are further healing benefits of arts you should know:

Enjoy Intense Relaxation

Walking through an art gallery and watching pieces of artwork can produce intense relaxation. Visiting art fairs for artists allows you to appreciate the work of art as you get to see the fierce details that go into preparing such beautiful masterpieces.

The brain enjoys increased blood flow

There was an article by Robert Mendick in the Telegraph about an experiment in neuroaesthetics at the University College, London. The study aimed to understand and view what happens in the brain when people look at a beautiful piece of art.

According to the experiment, when anyone looks at art (which could be an abstract, portrait, landscape, still life, etc.), the part of the brain in charge of pleasure experiences intense activities.

Participants had their brains scanned while looking at many pictures of beautiful paintings by artists. They had increased blood flow in some parts of the brain when viewing a piece of art that they considered very beautiful. The brain activity was equivalent to looking at someone they loved.

Art can Bring about a Community Feeling.

Interestingly, the community also benefits from the art. As humans advance in age, there is a high possibility of losing connection with others and feeling isolated. This can have a series of adverse effects on mental health.

However, a proven way to regain connection with people and society is involved in art programs. Throwing oneself into the community can reduce isolation and loneliness. This explains why arts activities are one of the things many seniors look forward to in care homes as it improves mood and wellbeing.

Mindfulness

The benefits of mindfulness are numerous, which is one of the effects humans get from art. Similarly, yoga and meditation calm one down and relieve stress; engaging in art can provide intense calmness and relief. Visual art can help trigger many parts of the brain, especially the right hemisphere.

The right brain is in charge of intuition, creativity, feelings, holistic thinking, and imagination. When art is combined with mindfulness, the mind can engage several parts of the brain. This helps promote deliberate shifting between mental states, which can overcome cognitive challenges.

The ability to transform from one mental state to the other can produce intense calmness because it triggers healthy hormones in the body.

Improved Academic Performance

There is increasing evidence that when you practice arts, your academic performance increases. Alicia Keys, who graduated from the University at a young age, is a good example. Interestingly, art also helps learn another subject, which involves associating visual patterns with numerical problems, especially math.

Inherent in every man is a desire to create, and art presents a way to make this happen. Culinary arts, painting, sculpture, musical pieces, etc., are all ways one can express oneself through art.

Feel Better about Yourself

Art is also another beautiful tool to improve your self-esteem. There is no way you will create a beautiful piece of art without feeling good about it. Both kids and adults experience a sense of accomplishment which can be traced to the dopamine rush after creating works of art. As a result, it makes you feel good, your drive increases, and you even desire to do more. The dopamine rush after completing a project rewards you with a great sense of accomplishment.

It doesn’t have to be a classic masterpiece, as you can achieve this feeling via any hobby type. When you get your hands dirty creating something, you will reap the mental benefit as your brain rewards you with a dopamine rush. According to research, this process can be likened to forming new neural pathways in the brain, which prevents depression, improves well-being, and slows aging.

Let go of Pain

Many people deal with chronic health issues from various conditions. At times, this comes with depression, anxiety, stress, pain, etc. However, a trip to any art fair for artists can provide an escape from such chronic illness for the day.

Anyone with one chronic health issue or the other can get a way of escape through art. It provides a means to distract patients from their condition since they get to focus on something better, giving them hope to express their feelings.

A trip to the museum or art fair can result in a positive experience for kids, seniors, and everyone.

Conclusion

There is more to art than beauty. It is the ideal tool that can boost your mental health and reward you with fantastic health benefits in ways you can’t imagine.