Wellness. It’s not only about your physical health, but also about your mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual health, too. And while there isn’t as much hardcore science (as say, “Don’t eat too many fatty foods because they aren’t good for your health”) to back up the critical and positive influence that making time for arts and culture in your life has on improving your health and increasing your life expectancy, there is some strong evidence that yeah, art is good for you, and can help you to live a long and healthy life.
They don’t call New York City the concrete jungle for nothing. Navigating the streets, trains, and buses while carrying your life on your back can be exhausting or stressful. The world can get very small when you can only see two sets of shoulders ahead of you on the crowded train platform. Incorporating art and culture into your life is a reminder to stop, breathe, and take in the world around you, which is much larger than the distance our eyes can see.
In a Swedish study that followed more than 10,000 people over 14 years, they found a direct correlation between longevity and the people who attended the most concerts, museums, art exhibitions or films. (No evidence exists on a correlation between attending sporting events and longevity.) Art therapy and music therapy can make up an important component of treatment for cancer, depression and more. If you’re reading this and lamenting you don’t have an artistic bone in your body (I can’t draw to save my life – the only thing I can draw are winter tree branches – go figure), don’t worry. Studies say it doesn’t matter if you create the art or if you consume it; both are beneficial to your health, though interestingly, taking in art is better for men than creating it, and vice versa for women. Many women who have families are the schedulers and the doers in their families – the matriarch who makes things “happen,” so it’s no wonder that organizing the creation of art and culture might fit better with women than men.
The important thing is, this holiday season and as you head into 2014, take some time to stretch your artistic boundaries and improve your wellness – go to a museum, a film, a play or musical, an art exhibit – these are fun activities to share with friends and family. Gazing at that painting, musing over the relationship in that film or play, or enjoying a concert gives you time and space to focus on something other than your computer, iPhone, or television and expands your horizons and thinking, freeing up pathways to see the world around you in a different light. And if you see things a little differently, you can approach challenges in your life from a new direction.
Art and culture is not just for artists. Discover what speaks most to you, and check it out. Classical or rock music? Modern art or impressionism? Foreign films or documentaries? Come see us at DASHA, and then head to the museum or movies after your appointment. The MOMA is just 3 blocks away! And the Lincoln Plaza Cinema is less than 10 blocks away. New York City is the art and culture playground of the world. What are you waiting for?
DASHA wellness & spa is a luxury lifestyle brand and New York City-based wellness center created to offer a truly holistic approach to wellness. To learn more, visit dashawellness.com.
