Why are arts and crafts so therapeutic?

I used to work in a busy corporate job in London, and would sometimes go to life drawing classes after a long day at work. What struck me every time I went was how much this activity helped me to switch off from my day at work.

The life drawing sessions always followed the same structure:

In the first part, the model would change positions every 2 minutes and we had to sketch very quickly. The aim of this was to encourage us not to overthink what was in front of us, but to get something down on the paper quickly and without interpretation.

For the second part the model had to hold a position for longer and we were asked to do a more detailed drawing. It was during this session that I completely switched off and my mind focused entirely on the model, the large white paper in front of me and the piece of charcoal in my hand. I could not think about anything other than what I was looking at and what my hand was doing. No matter what I thought about the quality of my drawings, I came out of every session feeling refreshed and positive.

So why is it that a creative activity can take us out of ourselves in that way?

Arts and crafts have been utilised in occupational therapy to heal people for a long time. This goes as far back as the first world war when veterans were introduced to crafts such as knitting, because it helped to speed up their recovery.

You might think that when your hands are making something, a degree of concentration and focus are required, which then does not leave room for the mind to wander and go down rabbit holes - a form of distraction (in a positive sense).

Herringbone stitch - one of my favourite stitches.

But research shows that merely looking at art can increase blood flow within the brain and lead to the release of serotonin (the ‘feel good’ hormone). When we use our motor skills and our senses like sight and touch in making art, this also stimulates the neural networks in our brain that are responsible for emotional regulation.

I think of it as the creative flow - a state of mind, where I believe you access another, possibly otherwise under-utilised, part of your brain through creativity. I enjoy activities that allow me to let my mind wander a little bit, but not too much - for example when knitting I can daydream until I have to come back down to earth to count stitches or understand a knitting pattern.

Making gives us a sense of accomplishment

The other thing that makes arts and crafts so satisfying is that often you have a visible, tangible 'product' at the end of the process. To look at an object and say to yourself "I made that" is hugely rewarding. And when something you have made brings other people joy, this feeling heightened further with an old-school dopamine hit!

Create to switch off (literally) - and switch off to create

It is so rare these days to not have a device of some sort in front of us, whether it's at work or at home. Even when the use of our hands is involved, they are often operating a keyboard, touch screen or console - or we are simultaneously watching something on a screen while doing something with our hands.

When the urge to be creative strikes us, it is all too tempting to watch an online tutorial, or go to Pinterest for inspiration - only to end up in a rabbit-hole for hours on end, and not actually create anything at all.

I believe that the outcome of our creative efforts is of a higher quality if we create offline - allowing our mind to come up with original ideas, and problem-solve if we get stuck. It does take a conscious effort to be in the moment when crafting, and replacing electronic devices with traditional manual tools and handling natural materials like fabric, wool or paper, really has the power to ground us, and thereby relax.

We know arts and crafts are beneficial for our health and wellbeing, so let us do more!

There is a wealth of evidence that arts and crafts are good for us - good for our brains and good for our mental health and wellbeing. I believe, given all of the reasons above, that everyone should use their hands and make things - even (or especially) if you think you aren't creative.