I picked up a book recently entitled Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross. While I’m not done, it is a fascinating collection of observations and research demonstrating the positive sociological, physical, and psychological benefits of the arts in our personal lives and the community in which we live.

It is loaded with examples of how music and acoustic therapy can help reduce anxiety; how the simple act of coloring can relax us, focus our attention, and lower stress; dramatic expression through acting has been helpful with PTSD patients’ recovery where medicine wasn’t successful. Overall, integration of the arts in the healthcare system helps reduce pain, lowers anxiety, shortens hospital stays, and helps quicken healing time with some conditions.

The book isn’t just a collection of anecdotal essays about isolated instances. The examples come from reputable sources, peer-reviewed studies, and extensive clinical research. The power of the arts for our well-being is now being recognized by some physicians who are prescribing art classes, museum trips, reading fiction, and various musical or theatre performance activities to help improve mental or physical health.

In addition to the arts, immersion in the natural world also benefits many people. The multi-sensory experience of walking outdoors and touching leaves, smelling the earth, hearing the wind and birds, and seeing the variety and richness of nature has countless positive benefits.

It’s great to be part of a world where human creativity can make a lasting and positive difference for us and others. (Check with Red Fern or Ad Astra if you are interested in getting a copy of the book.)