Embracing Creativity for A Healthy Brain

by Juwan Williams

            The brain is one of the most important parts of our body, and just like the rest of our body, our brain functions best when we maintain it, exercise it, and stimulate it. Taking care of your brain can reduce stress and improve cognitive function. Creativity is one of the best ways to exercise your brain, helping it function at its full potential. The arts, such as music, dance, and crafts, offer different avenues for creative expression while stimulating your brain. 

Creativity

Music is good for the brain.

            Music can play a significant role in reducing stress as it can be a form of emotional expression and release. For example, when you listen to music that you relate to and it's in congruence with your mood or emotions, singing and engaging with it can allow you to express yourself in a healthy way. Being engaged with music can create a healthy distraction from stress, allowing your brain to take a break and ease anxieties. Studies have shown that listening to calming music that has a predictable melody can reduce stress and anxiety.

Dance is another great art that can get your creativity flowing while reducing stress and anxiety. When you dance, the physical movements send off signals in your brain to release endorphins, our body’s natural pain reliever, stress reliever, and mood enhancer. Dancing can also be paired with music, creating a mind and body experience that distracts you away from stress. Dancing is a form of expression as well; your movements can help release emotions.

Crafting reduces stress.

Crafting can have the same effects as music and dance; as well, crafting can reduce your stress in different ways. While crafting, you tend to focus more and create a mindful headspace due to attending to detail. Crafts such as painting, drawing, and sewing can have lots of repetitive motions, which can create a soothing and relaxing atmosphere. Making crafts takes time and effort, which makes it a rewarding accomplishment when we finish them. These types of accomplishments send signals in our brain to release dopamine, giving us feelings of satisfaction.

            Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease benefit in the long term from creative activities like music, dance, and crafts. For individuals living with dementia, creativity stimulates the brain in multiple different regions responsible for memory, problem-solving, and mood stabilization. Engaging in cognitively creative activities improves the brain’s ability to form new connections and protects it from dementia’s cognitive decline. Music has also been shown to help improve the recollection of long-term memories for individuals with dementia. These different forms of art can greatly improve the quality of life of the elderly, lowering risks of cognitive decline and allowing them to maintain a healthy sense of self. 

Hobbies support wellness.  

Overall, a great way to care for your brain is through creative hobbies, which can be fun and help reduce stress. There are many different fun, creative ways that you can help reduce your stress while protecting and improving your brain's functioning. It still is exhilarating to pick up new creative hobbies even as we get older. Some people may feel like they “aren’t creative,” but that's not true, art/creativity is about the process more so than the outcome. Art is an avenue that stimulates multiple regions of the brain, allowing connections to stay strong and grow.  If you don’t think you have any creative hobbies or want a new one, we encourage you to find one that intrigues you through a local group, family members, or online resources. 

Ashland Creative Spaces 

• Ashland Dance Academy - Offers ballet, tap, hip hop, jazz, and musical theater for all ages.

• Hanover Arts & Activities Center - Hosts popular events such as The Fourth of July Parade, the biennial Ashland Musical Variety Show, Hanover Idols, the Center Players Youth Theater Programs, and the Off the Rails Craft Beer Festival. They also provide a studio and meeting space for artists, musicians, and community groups.

• The Montpelier Center for Arts & Education - Houses an art gallery, enriching classes, & community events that often extend onto the stunning Village Green front lawn.

• Ashland Saturday Soundtracks - Free outdoor concert series enlivens the trackside historic district Saturday evenings from April through October. 

• Pamunkey Regional Library - Check out their calendar for ongoing opportunities for craft and hobby events

Hanover County Parks & Recreation Department - Check out their calendar for opportunities to stay active, explore new hobbies, or connect with neighbors