The art of well-being
Have you ever thought to yourself “I wish I could draw”? Do you doodle when stuck on a call, or in a boring meeting or lecture? Have you thought about picking up art as a hobby again? I’m writing to convince you to give it a try, and explain why drawing makes us feel good. Experiencing art, from doodling to visiting art museums, offers a variety of health benefits. Art can decrease stress, boost your mood, strengthen critical thinking skills, improve creativity and memory.
For years, therapists have been using art as a therapeutic tool. A study conducted in 2007 found that participants who were allowed to create a piece of art for 20 minutes experienced greater improvements in mood compared to the group which was asked to view and sort art prints. Another study from 2016 found lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol (one of the most studied markers of stress) in adults who participated in a 45 minute art therapy session. Additionally, the participants found the art-making session “relaxing, enjoyable, helpful for learning about new aspects of self […]”. A research paper from 2018 also suggests that both mindful art and free art (colouring or drawing) decrease feelings of anxiety and increase mindfulness states.
Art can also help with self-confidence. A study published in 2016 found that just 45 minutes of art-making, during which the participants were allowed to create art freely, using markers, modelling clay and collage materials, had positive effects on the participants mood. Before and after the art-making session, the participants filled out a 10-question survey on their self-efficacy- with statements such as “I can solve most problems if I invest in the effort,” that could be answered with four responses ranging from “Not at all true” to “Exactly true.” According to the study, 73% of participants experienced an increase in feelings of self-efficacy and positive affect (their mood was boosted) following the art session.
According to a review published by the National Centre of Biotechnology Information, drawing activates similar brain areas as writing, accesses the semantic system, memory, and improves constructional abilities and the ability to estimate spatial relations. A study published in 2001 found significant differences in processing between artists and non-artists. The study found lower levels of activation in the artist’s brain (through an fMRI) suggesting a more effective processing of facial information than that of the non-artist. Additionally, the artist had higher brain activation in the right frontal area of the brain, indicating “higher-order” cognitive functions (such as associations and planning motor movements) when looking at and drawing a face.
According to John Lubbock “Art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colours flowers, so does art colour life.” Drawing and art-making have a lot of benefits that are linked with mindfulness. Mindfulness involves being completely and non-judgmentally aware of the present moment, instead of dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. This form of meditation is known to reduce stress and rumination, and increases focus, cognitive flexibility, and satisfaction.
You don’t need to be a professional artist to experience any of these benefits, you just need to experience art regularly. From doodling, painting, or visiting a museum, art is a great tool to take care of your mental health. Carrying around a sketchbook or colouring book can help give you a small break whenever you need one. At FitQuid we want to motivate you to live a happy and healthy life, which involves everything from exercise to artistic hobbies!
