Getting out and about with your camera can really benefit your physical and mental health, and new research from University College London (UCL) suggests that taking part in creative and arts-related activity may slow down the ageing process
‘Arts-related activity’ in this context can also include visiting galleries to see exhibitions, and yes that includes photography ones.
While this all sounds a bit speculative and woo-woo, the findings are backed up by some solid research methodology. As part of the UCL study, 3,556 adults in the UK were sent a survey and shared blood test data.
After crunching the data, the UCL researchers discovered that the people who took part in arts and cultural activities more often seemed to be ageing more slowly, as suggested by changes to their DNA.
Indeed, the benefits seem to be comparable to the benefits of regular exercise. People who did an arts-related activity every week aged 4% more slowly than those who didn’t!
Feed your head, benefit your body
‘These results demonstrate the health impact of the arts at a biological level,’ said research lead Daisy Fancourt from UCL. ‘They provide evidence for arts and cultural engagement to be recognised as a health-promoting behaviour in a similar way to exercise.
Our study also suggests that engaging in a variety of arts activities may be helpful. This may be because each activity has different ‘ingredients’ that help health, such as physical, cognitive, emotional or social stimulation.’
The link is apparently stronger for adults over 40, after taking into account other factors that can affect overall health, such as fitness levels, income, smoking history etc.
So if you’ve been putting off getting out with your camera, joining a local camera club, or going to a photography exhibition, don’t procrastinate any longer – as well as all the other benefits, you could end up looking younger than you really are!
Further reading
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