Doodling, writing and dancing can improve brain function, mental health and physical health.
Time to get creative…
Have you ever experienced a state of flow? It’s a feeling of losing track of time as you get completely lost or absorbed while doing something you enjoy. For example, if you started colouring in a big poster and got so involved in it that before you knew it, a few hours had passed. Perhaps your mind had wandered all over the place while you sat making sure your colouring was beautifully neat and bright – that’s flow. And it’s really good for you, especially if you need to destress from the responsibilities of life and work!
You don’t have to be an expert at drawing, poetry or knitting or a professional dancer to get creative and experience flow. Anyone can do it and here’s why it’s so important…
1. It makes you happy
Creative activities like writing, knitting, painting or drawing all end with a result – a beautiful story, an inspiring picture, a lovely scarf – and when your brain realises you’ve succeeded at producing a result, it experiences a rush of dopamine (feelgood hormone).
2. Lowers risk of dementia
According to studies, creativity can have a positive effect on people with depression. It makes you more emotionally resilient, and it is also known to help those who suffer from dementia be more in tune with their feelings and personalities as well as their senses.
3. Improves mental health
Did you know we have about 60 000 thoughts a day? When we engage in creative activities, it helps our minds to focus and is so calming that it’s been compared to meditating. According to studies, getting creative also helps us process negative emotions and deal with post-traumatic stress disorder. This is something we all need especially during COVID-19.
4. Boosts your immune system
We’re not clued up on the science of it, but writing about things from the heart has been shown to make your immune system stronger by boosting your white blood cell count.
5. Keeps your brain sharp
When you play a musical instrument, an amazing thing happens. You not only produce a beautiful sound but you improve your brain function too. This happens as your left brain (in charge of motor function) and your right brain (focusing on melody) work together to create the music.
6. Promotes productivity
Embracing creative thinking and innovation in groups can help boost meaningful productivity, whether at work or in your community. So, if you want to start feeling better and more productive overall, even at work, creativity is the key!
“When you play a musical instrument, an amazing thing happens. You not only produce a beautiful sound, but you improve your brain function too.”
