The art of your mind can be beneficial to you and your health. Not only will it reduce stress, but it can also help you to avoid Alzheimer’s disease. If you want to be a healthy and happy person, you need to practice the art of your mind!
Making art
Creating art can be an effective way to improve your mental and emotional health. Research has shown that creating art, even if only for an hour a week, can be an excellent way to relieve stress and boost your mood.
Making art can stimulate your brain in many ways, and you’ll be surprised by the effects. For instance, it can reduce your stress levels, increase your concentration and improve your memory. It can also help you understand yourself and others, and even promote healing. In addition to the obvious benefit of feeling good, you can boost your creativity and self-confidence.
The most impressive thing about making art is that it stimulates a number of brain functions, including the reward pathways. Dopamine is produced in the brain when you make art, and this can improve your performance in many ways. It can also increase your resistance to impulses, enhance your memory, and prepare your brain for learning.
Creative activity boosts release of dopamine
Dopamine, or DA, is a neurotransmitter that helps motivate and enhance human activity. It is also important for mood. Lack of it causes people to engage in harmful, addictive behaviors.
Dopaminergic functioning includes three main pathways. One is the cortical pathway, which is involved in cognitive flexibility. Another is the nigrostriatal pathway, which originates in the substantia nigra. Both pathways are involved in creative thinking.
Creative activities have been shown to increase dopamine levels. They also help reduce depression. Some studies have shown that creative hobbies, such as art, music, and meditation, can increase DA release.
To study the DA-creativity link, researchers need to assess DA’s effects on various brain regions. This can be done by evaluating the levels of DA produced by the mediofrontal and nigrostriatal DA pathways.
Increase in blood flow to reward center
A recent study performed at Drexel University found that the creation of a piece of art or an impromptu sketch may increase blood flow to the brain’s reward center. The same activity, however, caused brain stimulation in the motor and subcortical regions for artists and non-artists alike.
According to the study, the best part is that it didn’t require participants to identify themselves as creative types. In fact, the researchers found that the brain’s reward center was engaged during all art-related activities. Researchers used fNIRS, a technology based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy, to measure blood flow to the reward areas of the brain. This may be beneficial for people with addictions, as it could reduce the chances of their relapse.
Meditation helps you focus on the details while paying more attention to the details
The benefits of meditation range from a relaxed mind to enhanced perception. The process also increases brain function and builds a stronger immune system.
Focused meditation can help you gain focus and clear your mind of unwanted thoughts. This method involves focusing on a particular sensation, such as a sound or an object.
It’s not always easy to keep your mind focused during a busy day. But by avoiding distractions and saving a few minutes a day, you can reap the rewards.
Meditation can even help you achieve better sleep. You can meditate for as little as five minutes a day, and the effects may last for hours.
Reducing stress
Art is one of the best ways to relieve stress. In fact, studies have shown that people who engage in creative activity tend to be less stressed.
You’re not alone if you are dealing with stress in your life. Millions of Americans experience stress daily. Some of the most common sources are family problems, illness, work or financial obligations.
Stress can affect your ability to function effectively. It can also interfere with your sleep. If you are constantly worried about something, you’ll have a hard time getting a good night’s rest.
Often, we deal with stress without thinking about it. When we’re overwhelmed by stressful thoughts, our rational part of the brain is not in charge. Instead, we become emotional.