The 20-Minute Monthly Ritual That Could Add Years to Your Life: Hint – It’s Artistic

Engaging in art just once a month can extend your lifespan by up to 10 years, according to experts.¹

That’s right – simply visiting museums, attending music shows or art galleries, or creating art yourself could add a decade to your life. No intense exercise or fasting required.

How Art Impacts Physical Health

Art has real, measurable effects on both mental and physical wellbeing. In fact, physicians around the world are now prescribing engaging with the arts as a way to improve overall health. 

Different art forms affect the brain and body differently, similar to how medications work differently for people.

A Powerful Healing Tool

Whether it’s painting, sculpting, dancing, playing music, or any other creative pursuit, art acts as a powerful healing tool. Artistic expression helps people feel better, reduces anxiety and blood pressure, and motivates recovery. (ref) 

Since the 1940s, healthcare providers have noticed mental health patients expressing themselves through art, which inspired the use of creative arts therapy as a treatment modality.

Mental Health Benefits of Art

Engaging with the arts has been shown to positively impact various mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, mood disorders, schizophrenia and dementia.

Art therapy can improve focus, emotional processing, communication skills, and self-esteem.

Helps Deal with Emotions

Creating art also provides a healthy outlet for working through difficult emotions. The process of making something, whether it’s a painting, poem, or pottery, allows you to enter a “flow state” where you’re fully absorbed in the activity.

This can quiet anxious thoughts and help you gain new perspectives.

Minimal Time Investment for Maximum Benefit

Here’s the really good news: you only need to spend about 20 minutes on art activities once a month (ref) to reap these impressive health benefits and potentially extend your lifespan. 

This could be something as simple as doodling in a sketchbook, attending a dance class, doing some gardening, or trying a pottery workshop. Even better, you don’t need to have any particular artistic skill or talent. The key is to fully engage in the creative process and express yourself, not to create a masterpiece.

Let go of self-judgment and allow yourself to play, experiment, and get lost in the flow of making art.

Holistic Healing Through Art

The arts seem to heal the body in at least six ways:

1. As preventative medicine
2. For symptom relief
3. To treat illness, developmental issues and injuries
4. As psychological support
5. To help live with chronic conditions
6. To provide solace and meaning at end of life

Engaging with art truly provides holistic healing – nurturing the mind, body and soul all at once. Creative activities integrate multiple senses and brain regions simultaneously.

For example, clay modeling engages touch, 3D spatial perception, sight, and sound all together.

Choosing an Art Form

With so many different types of creative arts – from visual arts to music, dance, writing, and more – you might wonder if one is better than the others. The short answer is no.

While they each impact the brain a bit differently, there’s no single “best” art form.

In fact, expressing yourself artistically through multiple modalities is likely the most beneficial. You could take up painting one month, try African drumming the next, and then do an improvised dance class after that.

Experiment with different creative outlets and see what resonates with you.

Find Happiness & Enjoyment in Art

The most important thing is to choose art activities that you genuinely enjoy. This isn’t about forcing yourself to do something that feels like a chore. Pick creative pursuits that light you up, that you look forward to engaging in.

When you find an art form that clicks for you, try to practice it regularly, ideally a few times a week if possible. 

So what are you waiting for? Bust out those knitting needles, join a community choir, or sign up for a photography workshop. Engaging in art isn’t just fun and fulfilling – it could also help you live a longer, healthier life. 

As painter Pablo Picasso once said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Let’s all make more time for the arts and enjoy the many gifts they have to offer.

Source:
1. The Atlanta Journal Constitution