Art for health?

Hey GOOD NEWS my fellow Artists & Crafters!

According to researchers from the University College London, we are setting ourselves up to live longer!

Evidently there's something called “epigenetic clocks” -  science-y tools that examine chemical changes in DNA over time.  (I feel your eyes rolling already. Stay with me).  So, according to this article in the journal Innovation in Aging, people who regularly visit museums or participate in creative activities may be aging more slowly on a biological level!  The effect of regularly engaging in these types of activities is comparable in some measures to physical activity. As a bonus, they may also reduce stress, improve emotional regulation and increase social connection!

The study examined activities including painting, drawing, photography, singing, dancing, visiting museums and going to cultural events or historic sites.  The results were even stronger with people over the age of 40 -which is most of us.

FINALLY!  Science-based justification for spending our disposable income on fun stuff!  So the next time you’re questioning whether to buy some new paint brushes, another color filament for your 3D printer or a weekend concert trip, GO FOR IT!

You’re welcome!