The wellbeing benefits of arts and crafts for adults

It’s no secret that everyone can feel a little overwhelmed at times, especially with the trying times that envelope everyone these days.

People need to balance the stresses and strains of life with things that make them feel happy and content, and one way to achieve that objective is by engaging with arts and crafts activities.

Did you know that attending craft workshops or wellbeing workshops, such as those offered by Toolerstone, is an excellent way to improve many aspects of your life?

Take a look at the following well-being benefits of arts and crafts for adults and find out how Toolerstone’s creative workshops can help you lead a more fulfilling life:

Helps People Cope With Stress

Everyone has a certain level of stress that they deal with in their daily lives. Unfortunately, some people experience more than their fair share of stress than others. Many need some form of stress relief in their modern lives, and one of the most effective ways to achieve that goal is by taking part in arts and crafts.

One scientific study even notes how such activities reduce stress and increase positive emotions. Arts and crafts doesn’t just offer adults a new hobby or interest; it also boosts their wellness and lowers stress levels.

Lowers Anxiety And Depression

According to the mental health charity Mind, anxiety and depression are two extremely common mental health problems which affect one in six people in the UK. Both those conditions can strike for a variety reasons. While it’s crucial to focus on the reasons, it is also highly important to find ways to mitigate the symptoms in order to maintain a certain level of quality of life. Many believe that one of the most effective ways of doing so, that may provide real therapeutic value, is through performing arts and crafts – regardless of one’s age.

Our creative workshops, like Gelli Plate Printing Workshop, are excellent ways to help people affected by anxiety and depression and channel their thoughts and energy into positive, creative and productive activities.

Enhances People’s Cognitive Abilities

Cognitive health refers to a person’s ability to think clearly, learn, and remember things.

As you can appreciate, it’s an essential part of everyday life and people’s everyday activities. Sadly, a person’s cognitive abilities can decline due to the ageing process, brain injuries, strokes, or diseases like the Alzheimer’s Disease. There are, however, ways of reducing cognitive impairment and one of them is through involving oneself with creative crafts.

This form of therapy is becoming more and more common and encouraged. One scientific study by Scandinavian researchers even notes how arts and crafts activities can effectively prevent negative “neural-level changes in attention and emotion perception“.

Boosts People’s Self-Esteem

There’s no denying that many adults experience low self-esteem and a feeling of low self-worth, especially in today’s fast-paced and competitive world. Low self-confidence, believing that one is “not good enough” or incapable of meeting expectations can severely impact a person’s everyday wellbeing. Creative activities for adults may help brighten their moods by boosting dopamine levels in their bodies. This “feel-good” neurotransmitter helps us feel happier and have a generally more positive outlook. Moreover, pouring oneself into arts and crafts may help them relax, distance themselves from continuous stress and, therefore, give more mental strength for repelling any self-doubting thoughts.

Great For Making New Like-Minded Friends

COVID-19 lockdowns effectively stopped social interaction between people and have had a profound effect on anxiety levels. Now that such restrictions have eased, some find it challenging to participate in social activities. Creative workshops are an excellent way to overcome their social anxiety and making new like-minded friends in a small, welcoming and not-overwhelming environment.

Many friendships have been forged thanks to our craft workshops, and such activities help people feel more confident about striking up conversations with individuals they’ve never spoken with before.

Arts And Crafts Encourage Communication

It’s a well-known fact that arts and crafts help people visually express their ideas, feelings, and thoughts. But, can engaging in arts and crafts activities help improve a person’s communication skills? In a word, yes.

Wellbeing workshops have the ability to help decrease negative emotions and boost positive ones. They help people refresh their minds and bodies and ensure that all participants feel relaxed while surrounded by like-minded individuals.

Arts and craft workshops also help those who take part learn about positive methods and techniques for future self-care.

It Also Teaches New Skills

You undoubtedly know that arts and crafts are very beneficial for improving one’s wellbeing. 

Aside from those wellbeing benefits, engaging in such activities is a sure-fire way to learn new skills and discover new hobbies, interests, and pastimes that you may never have considered.

For example, you could learn willow weaving skills as part of our willow weaving workshops and discover that you have a hidden talent for making beautiful artistic models of animals you may see in your everyday life.

Enhances Brain Productivity

Earlier you read about how arts and crafts activities help adults increase dopamine levels in their brains. These so-called “feel good” neurotransmitters don’t just make you feel fantastic; they can also enhance your brain productivity.

The reason for that is simple: increased dopamine neurotransmitters help create new neurons – the brain’s information messengers – and promote increased focus and concentration. They also help the brain to boost psychological stability and productivity.

Distracts The Mind From Serious Health Conditions

The scientific study on the wellbeing benefits of arts and crafts on stress quoted earlier also points out that such activities help to distract the mind from severe health conditions. It is becoming a more and more popular practice for people experiencing major health concerns to get involved with creative crafts, as it may help them decrease stress and express themselves in a different way.

Helps Change The Way People Think And Feel

Last but not least, performing arts and crafts by adults may help them change the way they think and feel about things. The simple act of admiring art, thinking of any beautiful scenery they’d like to paint, or animals they’d like to make from willow, helps provide more enjoyment in people’s lives and can even boost their critical thinking skills.

Book Your Creative Workshop

At Toolerstone, we offer a wide range of art and crafts workshops for adults. They are available all year round at our rural escape in Cheshire. There is plenty to choose from – from gardening courses to Christmas workshops.