For many years on Wednesday’s I would post a “Take a Break.” Having posted enough that you could do two a day for over a year, I only occasionally do one.
In last week’s Journal Watch there was an interesting article about some doctors in Canada who 'prescribed art to their patients, giving them free access to a local museum. The idea was that by meandering amongst the masterpieces and pondering the paintings, patients could achieve better physical and mental health outcomes.
A new study from the United Kingdom suggests that this was a good idea, as the arts appear to affect biological hallmarks of aging. Scientists from University College London (UCL) found that a weekly arts or cultural activity could slow the pace of aging about as much as exercising once a week. "Our study provides the first evidence that arts and cultural engagement is linked to a slower pace of biological aging," says senior author and epidemiologist Feifei Bu from UCL.
These activities could include visiting a museum or library, attending an art exhibit, crafting, painting, singing, dancing, and much more. Participants in the study who did one of these activities at least once a week showed slower signs of aging than those who had less of a cultural repertoire. The findings were strongest among middle-aged adults, and the greater the diversity of arts and cultural activities, the better the signs of aging.
Check out try the Take a Break Pinterest Board for lots of different ways to take an art break.
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