Departing from routine and what you already know to become more acquainted with the unfamiliar. That is the primary theme found in this month's Health Tip Wednesday posts for May 2024. Through creativity and communication, we can potentially move through our days with a little more happiness and understanding. There is a lot that can come from exploration, it is simply a matter of starting the search, as you consider the following...

The Value of Drawing & Painting

Stress Reducer –  Drawing and painting has a way of allaying our worries, at least for a little while. This invites joy, tranquility and perhaps, steadier breathing. Also, with this activity there aren’t necessarily expectations or an end goal, there’s just what the artist wants to do at that very moment. 
  
Memory – Need to recall a chart or a particular route? According to one study, psychologists found that sketching new information resulted in it being memorized more effectively than it would have been by simply writing it down. 
  
Expression – Care to show your emotions in a non-verbal fashion? That can be accomplished with drawing or painting. It also helps you process what you’re feeling and might even lead to solving dilemmas you’ve been preoccupied with. 
  
Concentration – When you’re offline and exclusively focused on a screen-less task like drawing and painting, you help amplify your concentration. This makes it not only easier to create something that relaxes and/or pleases you, but continued practice conceivably leads to better focus in other areas of daily life.

The Value of Dancing

Activation - Music stimulates the brain’s reward center, while dancing to it helps activate sensory and motor circuits. 
  
Physicality – Dancing has been shown to improve balance, gait, and overall quality of movement. 
  
Development – Mastering dance patterns or choreography may produce larger advances in memory and problem-solving than walking or riding. 
  
Strength – Such rhythmic activity promotes healthy muscles and bones. 
  
No Limits – No matter the style or where it happens, dancing can be enjoyed by anybody.

The Value of Playing Instruments 

Imagination – It could be a banjo or xylophone. Regardless of the instrument, just playing can further stimulate our neurotransmitters, building pathways to other parts of our imagination and fresh ideas. 
  
Coordination – The way your body handles an instrument impacts the quality of sound. Once you learn the physical requirements of the instrument, you can strengthen certain muscles and amplify dexterity. 
  
Cognition – Learning, memorizing, and playing music repeatedly can support our brains. This kind of work does wonders for the mind and over time, may bolster cognitive abilities, whether we’re using an instrument or not. Plus, playing music can ease some of our tensions, which is a boon for the mind and body. 
  
Community – Music already brings people together. When people play instruments, that can become even more true, encouraging undivided attention, conversation, and happiness.  

The Perks of Socializing

Discovering – Discussions with other people that have dissimilar perspectives or interests may lead to acquiring new concepts and facts. This can be especially true for a classroom setting where utilizing the material is often easier with a group. 
    
Lifting - Interacting with others, either one-on-one or in a group, has been known to reduce anxiety and help mitigate symptoms of depression. Conversation plus laughter can be quite beneficial.    
  
Communicating – Practice makes perfect. That’s an adage easily applied to socializing, which involves conversing with all types of individuals in various circumstances. Over time, this can improve our communication skills and enable more productivity. 
    
Extending – Regular, positive interaction with other people can support a longer lifespan, as a sense of belonging or communal purpose invites enduring physical and mental strength.    

The Benefits of Camping 
 
Being Among Nature – Camping is one of the few activities that fully immerse us in the world outside the comfort of our homes. Trees, dirt, soil, gullies, and more are just beyond our tent. There is also fresh oxygen and inviting scents that have us feeling a bit more linked with the earth. 
  
Subsistence – Camping prompts us to learn and do more about our safety in the wild. Such a trip takes organization, skills, and a measure of patience. The comforts of home and digital access are not at our disposal. The idea is to be protective and considerate, but still enjoy the outdoors environment and our place in it. 
  
Stress Reduction – A getaway on a tropical island has its bright sides. But being on campgrounds, where there’s potentially less activity and less money spent, can support our mental health. Out there in the open, we’re far removed from travails of everyday existence and much closer to what it's like to live off land that seems to demand less. 
  
Exercise – There’s no question that camping involves some physical effort, from setting up the tent to cooking to hiking along trails. It could be tiring and sweat-inducing, but ultimately it may be particularly nourishing for the mind and body in ways that other activities are not. 
  
Teamwork – We’ll go out on a limb and guess that many people prefer to camp with a group. With other people around, you can observe the intricacies of nature together, play games, roast marshmallows, and craft great memories. 

That wraps up another edition of Health Tip Wednesday Recap! These posts and their accompanying blog series are intended to encourage productivity and positivity toward a greater wellbeing. Feel free to view the March 2024 and April 2024 health tip recaps right on our website. You can also check out our newest blog article Treasures in Traveling.