Although many people report having very high stress levels,
few have a stress management plan in place. Questions about stress management
techniques are often met with shrugged shoulders or rolled eyes; everybody has
stress, it’s just something we have to live with, right? Luckily, we do not
have to get used to living with stress; there are many effective stress
management strategies you can try. One recent study found that making art can
significantly reduce stress levels -- and you don’t have to be Picasso to reap
the benefits.
The study included 39 adults ranging from 18-59 years old.
The participants were invited to participate in 45 minutes of art making. They were given paper, markers, clay and collage materials and
were able to create freely with whichever materials they preferred. The researchers
measured the participants’ levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, before and
after the art-making period. The higher a person’s cortisol level, the more
stressed they are likely to be.
The results of the study found that 75 percent of the
participants’ cortisol levels lowered during the 45-minute art period. Although less than half of the participants reported very limited art experience, the
benefit of reduced cortisol was observed in individuals of all artistic
levels. Additionally, participants reported feeling “less anxious” just five
minutes into the art-making experience.
Bottom Line: Chronic stress is not something we
have to “just deal with.” In fact, high stress levels have been linked to an increased
risk for many chronic diseases, making the case for adopting stress management
strategies even stronger. While effective stress management techniques are very
individualized, the results of this study serve as a reminder to try new activities
to help manage stress, even if the activity is something you have little or no
prior experience with. The key is to have fun!
Source
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