5 Ways Being Creative Can Help Your Mental Health
Winter is coming and seasonal aective disorder is a an unwelcome host for many. Being creative not only can help keep the blues away but it’s an activity you can do with your family, on your own or whenever. Here are just a few benefits being creative can bring you.
1. Studies show that visual art calms your nervous system.
It also releases important chemicals that send messages to your brain like vitamins for your Emotions.
- Dopamine reward and motivation
- Serotonin which is an important chemical that send messages toyour brain
- Norepinephrine which keeps you focused and alert
- Endorphine the feel good hormone
2. When you focus on a creative task,your mind goes into flow state.
This calming mode is known to reduce stressand heart-rate
3. Besides creating something beautiful, many things happen when you put pencil to paper.
- Your imagination expands
- Drawing is a whole brain activity
- Hand/eye coordination
- Critical thinking, brain speed and memory improves
- It gives you space to process your emotions
- Improve communication skill
4. Viewing paintings have been proven to improve mood.
Such asthose by artists Constable, Ingres, and Monet produce the mostpowerful ‘pleasure’ response. Doctors have recognised this andhave utilised it to create a treatment for those suering from amental illness. In Montreal, Canada, doctors have partnered with galleries to allow physicians to write prescriptions for free museum visits and also for the gallery to provide art therapy courses.
5. Quick activity to exercise your brain. Bilateral drawing
1. Grab a piece of paper and 2 pens. one for the left and one for the right
2. Let your hands intuitively doodle on the paper.
3. Keep going until you feel like your done
4. Let yourself vibe to music.