While AI-powered art is taking over the internet, the real deal (hanging framed on the wall at your local gallery) is making a strong case for its enduring merits. And we’re not just talking about its creative importance – looking at original artwork has now been confirmed to lower stress.
A new study by King’s College London looked at how these original pieces can affect your stress levels. The researchers followed a group of 50 adults who viewed works by famous artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Edouard Manet.
That same group was also shown reproductions. To track their reactions to both the originals and their copycats, researchers monitored participants using digital rest sensors and took saliva samples to gauge metrics such as their skin temps, immune markers and heart activity.
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The result? When viewing original canvases, they reaped the biggest rewards managing to notch a 22% decrease in their cortisol levels. (Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone.) Looking at reproductions only brought down those levels by 8%.
But the benefits weren’t just limited to stress. The study’s authors noted that these artistic capers had a positive impact on the “immune, endocrine and autonomic systems”.
Different Strokes: How Creative Pursuits Can Help You Calm Down
If you’re not keen to mosey about your local art gallery, there are plenty of other (creative) ways to bring down your stress levels. Studies have long documented the positive effects of singing, playing instruments, drawing, just to name a few activities.
Here are a few more ways you can nix stress while honing your talents, according to science:
1. Play an Instrument
Contrary to popular belief, it’s never too late to pick up a musical instrument. And the benefits extend beyond being able to shred guitar solos. Research has found that playing an instrument may help alleviate stress and hit the brakes on negative feelings.
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Even just listening to music can stimulate the release of neurotransmitters such as oxytocin and dopamine, ultimately having the potential to reduce anxiety and stress while helping you feel more content.
2. Paint a Portrait
Art therapy has long been a mainstay at clinics across the world, and there’s plenty of research to back up its stress-busting, mood-boosting promises. One study, for instance, found that – regardless of the participants’ skill level – those who spent 45 minutes making art were able to significantly lower their cortisol levels. And you’re not just limited to splashing paint on a canvas; drawing, clay sculpting or even just giving your walls a new coat of paint could all give you safe sanctuary from stress.
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3. Dance It Off
Dancing is both a creative pursuit and a physical activity, allowing you to tap into the big benefits of both working up a sweat and flexing your talents. What’s more, a 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that dancing may also improve brain health.
