"The benefit the arts confer on the pace at which people age is so dramatic that it is comparable to the difference between smokers and those who have given up smoking, the researchers say. Participants in the research were also asked how often they took part in singing, dancing, paint, photography or crafting."
Singing, painting, and visiting galleries or museums are linked to slower biological ageing. Findings indicate that both participating in arts activities and attending cultural events, such as viewing exhibitions, help people remain biologically younger. The results suggest a biological-level health impact of arts engagement and support recognizing arts and cultural involvement as a health-promoting behaviour similar to exercise. Epigenetic clocks used to measure biological ageing predict future morbidity and mortality, though slower ageing does not guarantee longer lifespan. The strongest effects appear among those who engage most frequently, with weekly participation slowing ageing more than monthly participation. Arts engagement effects are described as comparable in magnitude to differences seen between current smokers and those who quit.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]