Articles in our holistic health series help
us learn about ways in which we can enhance our health and wellbeing, addressing
the needs of the whole person, often from a non-conventional perspective. In
this latest edition, we explore the ability of creative pursuits to bring us
stress relief, and help us deal with more challenging issues such as trauma,
anxiety, and dementia.
Over two thousand years ago, the ancient Greek philosopher Plato eloquently described the power of music. Most of us will attest that music can move us physically and emotionally, but now science is discovering how music can change our anatomy and physiology.
When doing my research for this article, I came across a fascinating study of a young man of 27 years who suffered from autism, severe drug-resistant epilepsy, and multiple other conditions. For our purposes, we will call him Zhang San. In the study, baseline tests were performed before and six months after musical treatment, consisting of listening to Mozart's piano sonata K448 for 30 minutes daily. In the six months before treatment, Zhang San experienced 176 seizures, compared to 94 in the six months after listening to Mozart. When broken down according to the type of seizure Zhang San experienced, his tonic-clonic seizures went from 122 to 54, a 56% improvement, compared to only a 32% improvement with atonic seizures. Tonic-clonic or grand mal seizures are the type that we often think of with epilepsy; they involve violent spastic movements and loss of consciousness. Another benefit Zhang San experienced was a decrease in aggressive behavior by close to 50%.
These results are not an isolated phenomenon. As I delved further into the studies, I found that other patients have experienced this effect as well. It is not clear why Mozart’s sonata is beneficial; experiments have used other classical musical pieces without the same outcome. One theory is that the repetitive melody of K448 stimulates specific parts of the brain involved with seizures. Fascinating!
Picture source: Bigstock
Listening to music can turn on genes related to learning, memory, and other thinking tasks. It improves the ability of neurons, the cells that transmit electrical signals in our body, to connect to specific brain parts. Music also causes physiological changes in multiple brain regions, meaning that it can alter how our brain works. Listening to music can even help decrease pain.
Dementia is a degenerative disease that causes the loss of cognitive or mental functions, negatively influencing daily life. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which affects explicitly memory storage. A review of multiple studies of patients with dementia who received music therapy found that it improved memory and verbal recall. The most significant benefit was when patients sang, played an instrument, or moved to a beat, as opposed to a passive activity such as listening to music. Music can also affect the emotional state of patients with dementia, helping to reduce agitation and anxiety.
Creative pursuits can assist us in dealing with the stress of our day to day. Perhaps you have experienced something called “flow,” losing your sense of time to the experience of doing something enjoyable with ease. When I sketch (which I do not do often), I find peace and calm; the outside world seems to fade away. Working with clay, painting, knitting, crafting, and other artistic activities can get us into a “zone” that has the potential to help us deal with life’s challenges. The exact mechanism behind the stress relief is not understood. One theory is that it increases blood flow to reward centers in the brain.
The oldest evidence of human artistic expression comes from cave carvings in France, dating approximately 75,000 years ago. Did Neanderthals use creative outlets for their stress? In modern times, we are investigating the use of art as therapy. Studies suggest art can help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. It has been used for depression disorders, anxiety, dementias, schizophrenia, autism, and cancer patients with varying degrees of effectiveness. Painting can allow the client to express their worries and fears; it can improve their mood, allowing them to project their feelings onto the canvas or a piece of paper.
Picture source: Bigstock
Patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) find it challenging to retell their experiences as it causes them to relive their trauma. Through art, they can depict their feelings or thoughts without verbalizing them. This way of processing what happened to them can provide a unique opportunity for closure. Having an art therapist guiding the session is essential to help work through the emotions that may come up.
The arts transcend language, often blurring the lines between culture and socioeconomic status. Art is a universal form of expression that resonates with people from all walks of life, allowing everyone to connect, reflect, and create meaning. There is still much to learn about how the arts can support our healing journeys and improve our mental and physical health. In the meantime, we can conduct our own experiments, including art in our self-care practices and daily life.
Melissa Rodriguez
With over 15 years’ experience in the field of health and wellness, Melissa Rodriguez helps educate others on disease prevention, teaching and inspiring people to take an integrative look at their health to transform their lives. She provides support for clients, promoting a holistic approach to food, sleep, habits, environmental factors, relationships, and more. As Patient Outreach and Education Manager, Melissa offers talks, workshops and lectures about all things health.
If you are interested in a talk or health education course, for yourself or your organization, please scan the QR code to reach out to Melissa.
