Make Art and Increase Brain Plasticity

In the most basic terms, brain plasticity or neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to continue growing and evolving in response to life experiences. Plasticity is the capacity to be shaped, molded, or altered; neuroplasticity, then, is the ability for the brain to adapt or change over time, by creating new neurons and building new networks.

Research has shown that your brain never stops changing as long as you continue to learn new things. In fact, creating art activates communication between various parts of your brain, increasing neuroplasticity. By developing these new neural pathways and allowing old ones to wither, our brains continue to rewire themselves to adapt to a changing environment at any age! 

On the weekends when you may have more time to dedicate to your creative practice, break out your watercolor materials and paint a small still life. Better yet, take your art kit outside to a park, the beach, or your backyard, and create a landscape study. Plan a picnic with a friend or two, and create together while enjoying time in nature!