These Creative Hobbies May Slow the Aging Process, New Study Says

We already know that eating well and exercising can help us enjoy a longer healthspan, which means staying free from disease, remaining independent, and reducing the need for health services.

But new research points to another key factor that could help slow down aging—the arts.

A study, published in the journal Innovation in Aging, found that people who engaged in the arts at least weekly slowed their aging process by 4 percent, meaning they were about a year younger biologically—the same reduction that's seen with physical activity; monthly engagement led to a slowdown of 3 percent.

To figure this out, researchers at the University College London (UCL) analyzed survey data and blood samples from about 3,500 adults who were part of the UK Household Longitudinal Study, a large, nationally representative cohort study.

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Some of the participants were very involved in the arts, while others had very little engagement with artistic endeavors. They answered questions about their exercise habits, as well as how often over the last year they had taken part in artistic and cultural activities such as singing, dancing, painting, photography, crafting, attending art exhibitions, visiting heritage sites, and going to museums and libraries.

The researchers then used epigenetic clocks—tests that look at age-related DNA changes—to assess the participants' rate of aging.

The slower rate of aging applied to both the "doers" of the arts—people who dance and sing—as well as those who take art in by going to concerts, the theater, or museums. The link was particularly strong for middle-aged and older adults aged 40 or above.

Lead study author Professor Daisy Fancourt of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care said in a release that “these results demonstrate the health impact of the arts at a biological level. They provide evidence for arts and cultural engagement to be recognized as a health-promoting behavior 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.”