Research shows that creative activities can slow down brain aging and enhance quality of life.
As part of a large international study, scientists used so-called brain clocks — models that determine the difference between a person's actual age and the state of their brain — to assess the impact of various hobbies on this measure.
The study involved 1,240 volunteers from 10 countries. The results were then validated on a separate group of 232 individuals engaged in dancing, music, drawing, or video games.
It was found that all types of creative activities contribute to maintaining brain youth, and among the most experienced participants, the difference between biological and neural age reached seven years. Dance, which requires coordination, planning, and mastering complex movements, proved to be particularly effective. Even novice participants who engaged in video games with a creative component showed a noticeable improvement — their brain age decreased by an average of 3.1 years.
The results confirm that creative activities provide real benefits for maintaining cognitive functions and overall brain health.
