We all know that the act of painting is not only fun and often times incredibly satisfying but also a great way to relax and relieve stress. But did you know that it also has wonderful effects on your mental health? And we are not even talking about art therapy guided by a professional but your ordinary slap-some-paint-on-a-canvas fun. So join us and find out why painting is great for your mental health! Stress Relieve What we and everyone that has ever held a paintbrush already know has now been confirmed by scientists: painting reduces stress.Girija Kaimal, assistant professor of creative arts therapies at Drexel University, led a study examining the effects of making art on stress-related hormones in your body...
The paintbrush will be your magic wand for weaving colors across the canvas. Artist paint brushes become beloved tools the more you use them! As you paint, you will become increasingly familiar with the way the brushes handle the paint and what they can accomplish for you. Pretty soon the paintbrush will become a part of you that you intuitively know how to maneuver. If you're just starting out in acrylics, it can be a bit overwhelming standing in the paintbrush aisle at the art store, with a vast sea of artist paint brushes spread out before you. The wide selection even makes me dizzy sometimes! Here we will tell you everything you need to know in order to select...
The title of a recent documentary film, I Remember Better When I Paint, sums up the findings of a growing body of research into the cognitive effects of making art. The movie demonstrates how drawing and painting stimulated memories in people with dementia and enabled them to reconnect with the world. People with dementia aren't the only beneficiaries. Studies have shown that expressing themselves through art can help people with depression, anxiety, or cancer, too. And doing so has been linked to improved memory, reasoning, and resilience in healthy older people. The beneficial effects of creating aren't dependent on a person's skill or talents. "It's the process, not the product," says Megan Carleton, an art therapist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital...
The two key steps to falling asleep: relaxing your body and shutting down a busy mind. That means you need to detach yourself from the stressors of the day. Stress elevates all your body’s functions. And the very thought of what you have left undone from the day can trigger the release of stress hormones such as cortisol, elevating your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and body temperature. In fact, it's the release of cortisol in the early morning hours that signals the brain to “wake up” for the day. This is the last signal you want to be sending your brain in the evening hours before sleep. Say out loud, “I am done for today. I will start again...
