Many people intuitively understand the notion that art can improve mental well-being, but can lose sight of it, especially if they have become disconnected from the singing, dancing, drawing and creative writing they enjoyed as children. Research Director Jill Sonke of the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine says there really is a robust body of evidence that suggests that activities such as visiting a museum, attending a concert or creating art can benefit mental health.
Given below are a few simple ways to elevate your mood with the arts :
- Try the three drawing technique
It is featured in the book Your Brain on Art : How the Arts Transform Us that Psychiatrist and founder of the Centre for Mind-Body Medicine Dr. James Gordon, has pioneered. He says in the book that in his experience, art like this extends beyond words in helping us understand what is going on with ourselves and what we should do with it. You need not be good at drawing. Stick figures are perfectly alright.
Begin by quickly drawing yourself without overthinking it. The second drawing should show you with your biggest problem while the third drawing should depict you after your problem has been solved.
This exercise is meant to encourage self-discovery, helping to give people agency in their healing. Susan Magsamen, a co-author of the book and Assistant Professor of Neurology, at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says that it could be conducted with or without a therapist.
- Colour something intricate
If you have turned to adult colouring books, it may not come as a surprise to find out that research suggests that this is an activity that could help ease anxiety. Colouring within the lines of an intricate pattern, for example, seems to be especially effective.
A study evaluating college students along with another that assessed older adults, discovered that spending twenty minutes colouring a complex geometric design known as a mandala was more helpful at reducing anxiety than free-form colouring for the same length of time.
Susan Albers, Clinical Psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, and author of 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food, described colouring as a mini-mental vacation. She went on to say that it becomes easier for people to tune out distractions and stay in the moment when they focus on the texture of the paper and select colours that make them happy. She added that it is a great form of meditation for people who dislike meditation.
- Enjoy more Music
Research shows that singing, playing an instrument or listening to music could all be beneficial. Over 650 individuals in 4 age groups were surveyed by a 2022 study, and they were asked to rank the artistic activities that helped them to feel better during the lockdowns during the 2020 pandemic. The youngest participants who were between the ages of 18 – 24 overwhelmingly rated musical activities as the most effective. Singing was ranked among the top activities across all age groups.
Other studies have discovered that dancing and singing reduce levels of cortisol, which is a hormone that the body releases under stress. One example is that mothers who had given birth recently and sang regularly to their babies had less anxiety. Prof. Magsamen noted that music was effective at reducing stress since chords, repetitive lyrics and rhythm engage multiple regions of the brain. She said that she sings in the shower, and at the top of her lungs to the radio.
- Write a Poem
Dr. Clark offered some tips for those interested in trying. He has continued to write poetry since he graduated from Medical School.
Initially, banish any thoughts that you are not creative enough. He said that he believes that anybody could write poetry and that most of the time, we are our own worst critics.
He suggested starting with a simple haiku, which consists of just three lines. The first and last lines have 5 syllables while the middle has 7.
The authors in a 2020 paper in the Journal of Medical Humanities that explored the healing power of poetry, believe that by simply reading a poem once a week, spending 5 to 10 minutes to free write about a favourite memory, a current idea, hope or worry, sharing a poem with a friend could all be effective first steps in experiencing the benefits of poetry. NYTIMES
