hether you’re the sort of person who craves creativity or wonder whether you’ve got a creative bone in your body, being creative is a great way to improve and strengthen your mental health. Amongst many other benefits, being creative when it comes to crafts keeps the mind active, increases the release of feel-good hormones and reduces stress. It can also boost your immune system and actually make you smarter! So let’s take a look at some of the most significant ways in which being creative can improve your mental health.
It increases happiness
Have you ever found yourself getting into the flow of an activity? One where you lose all sense of time? The state of flow is proven to reduce feelings of anxiety, increase mood and even lower your heart rate. What’s more, repetitive activities such as knitting, drawing or writing can help activate flow, and these are all tasks that create a reaction in your brain, like releasing a happy feeling caused by dopamine, the feel-good chemical that actually motivates you. Whether you are aware of it or not, this feeling drives you and influences your behaviour to take on more creative tasks.
It helps focus the mind
The average person has around 60,000 thoughts a day. That’s a lot of information to process. Partaking in creative activities can help focus the mind. Some even compare creative pursuits to meditation due to the calming effects of both the body and brain. Finding what you love and actively taking part in that activity reduces anxiety, depression and stress levels. If arts and crafts are not your strong point, even writing letters or journals has been proven to help people manage negative emotions and improve their overall mental health.
Increases brain function
Most creative activities, including playing an instrument or writing, can help engage your left and right brain and improve your overall cognitive health.
It’s actually amazing that doing the activities we love the most bring us such joy and improve our overall state of mind and wellbeing. Crafting my products puts me in a good place and helps me refocus on what is really important in life. It’s not just the actual process of creating that improves my state of mind, it’s taking the time to spend in nature, to gain inspiration for my next project, taking in the fresh air and getting out for some exercise. I encourage everyone reading this to do something that inspires them today, whether it’s picking up a pen and doodling or getting your hands dirty in the garden. Creativity comes in many forms, all of which should be enjoyed and celebrated.
