DEVOURED
Arts and Culture Slows Down Ageing. So Why Aren't We Doing More of It?
A new University College London study found that engaging in arts and culture weekly slows biological aging twice as much as weekly exercise.
What: Research published in *Innovation in Aging* shows people who participate in arts and cultural activities weekly are biologically a year younger than those who don't, while weekly exercise only grants six months. Author Tom May argues that despite knowing the benefits, people often succumb to digital inertia.
Why it matters: This study provides a scientific basis for the long-suspected benefits of creative and cultural engagement, challenging the common modern habit of passive digital consumption over active, enriching experiences. It highlights the friction between immediate digital gratification and the long-term, tangible benefits of engaging with physical culture.
Takeaway: Schedule arts and cultural activities into your weekly routine, treating them like essential exercise or appointments, to actively combat digital inertia and improve well-being.
Deep dive
- A University College London study, published in Innovation in Aging, found that regular engagement in arts and cultural activities slows biological aging.
- Participants who engaged in activities like painting, singing, or visiting galleries at least once a week were, on average, biologically a year younger.
- This effect is double that of weekly exercise, which only resulted in participants being six months younger biologically.
- The anti-aging effect of arts and culture is comparable to the biological difference between smokers and those who have quit.
- The article points out that many creative professionals, despite recognizing the value, struggle to prioritize these activities due to inertia and the addictive nature of digital scrolling.
- Author Tom May suggests treating arts and culture as essential practices, similar to exercise, by scheduling them explicitly.
Original article
Full article content is not available for inline reading.
Explore all 58 articles in today's digest
Fresh dev news, AI-digested daily. Never miss a trend at devoured.fyi