Stress is a physical reaction to…something. It could be anything, really. You may experience stress when you get a bad grade on a test, when you have a fight with a friend, when you can’t find something you know you left in a safe spot, or when you’re about to go on stage. When we experience stress it is our body’s way of pumping us up to make quick decisions in the face of danger, also known as the survival instincts Fight or Flight.
Your brain releases hormones into your bloodstream that gear your mind and muscles up either to physically fight off an attack or get the heck out of there. Really useful when you’re in physical danger, but not so great right before a party. While stress might give you a boost to get through a presentation if you walk around most of your day with tight shoulders and racing thoughts can stress out both your body and mind.
Speaking of that presentation, stress is not all bad, but how can you tell? That surge of hormones provides us with energy that can fuel a performance or get you through the rest of your workout. When stress prevents you from living your ideal life because you’ve got back pain or headaches from constant muscle clenching, or you find you have trouble calming your mind long enough to make sound decisions, it’s a problem.
Science Stress Art Therapy FBAdrenaline boosts your energy and gets your heart pumping while cortisol represses bodily functions that aren’t immediately necessary, like digestion and your immune system, because why should you worry about using the washroom or fighting off a cold while your life is in danger, right? Problematic in everyday life, however, which is why it’s critical to develop ways to calm your stress response down.
Art therapy is a great way to get a hold of that much-needed calm and clarity and the best news is that you don’t have to be good at art to benefit from it. Art programs exist in every level of patient care from hospital to nursing home and in between. Daycare and school children of all ages take part in art instruction, with grades focusing on the ability to follow direction rather than the finished product. There has been a resurgence in the cottage industry, particularly handcrafting, as the internet provides almost limitless access to both instruction and materials.
A study released in 2016 particularly studied the effects of art therapy and cortisol in participants of varying degrees of artistic ability. And you know what they found? That just 45 minutes of art therapy reduced the level of the stress hormones no matter if the participant was a professional artist or someone picking up a crayon for the first time!
So pick up that crayon and call Mandalas4You! Our workshops are designed to support participants of all ages, skill levels, and abilities to produce meaningful art pieces in a calm and collected headspace. Once you’ve learned how to create a mandala you can recreate this relaxing activity anywhere whether you’re at home, on a plane, or waiting at the doctor’s office. Contact Us to book a workshop!