The Biology of Creative Stress Relief

The Biology of Creative Stress Relief

Art-making has long been viewed as a way to reduce stress, and activities such as drawing, painting, sculpting, and coloring are often recommended to promote relaxation and emotional well-being. While many people self-report feeling calmer after engaging in creative activities, researchers have increasingly sought to determine whether these feelings are reflected in measurable biological changes. One of the most common biological markers of stress is cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone.

Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands through activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis during stressful situations [6]. In the short term, cortisol is beneficial because it mobilizes energy, increases alertness, and helps the body respond to challenges. However, chronically elevated cortisol has been linked to stress, anxiety, depression, impaired immune functioning, cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbances, and cognitive dysfunction. For this reason, researchers often use cortisol as a biomarker (a measurable physiological indicator of a biological process) to estimate stress levels [6].

One study by Kaimal et al., conducted in 2016, aimed to investigate the correlation between art making and cortisol levels. The study involved thirty-nine participants between the ages of 18 and 59 years with varying levels of artistic experience [6]. Participants provided initial saliva samples which were used to determine their baseline salivary cortisol levels. They then experienced a 45-minute art-making session, in which they could choose from a variety of mediums and were allowed to create with no bounds. At the end of the session, participants provided a second saliva sample and completed a written reflection. Approximately 75% of participants were found to have a decrease in cortisol levels after only 45 minutes of artistic expression [6]. This suggests that creating art can reduce physiological stress. The inclusion of participants with varying levels of artistic experience suggests that the cortisol reduction is due to the act of creating, not the participants' artistic skill. In their written responses, participants most commonly reported enjoying the process of creating, feeling more relaxed, feeling less stressed, experiencing self-discovery, and feeling more free [6].

Despite these promising findings that art-making does indeed reduce stress, several limitations should be considered. The small sample size of only thirty-nine participants, 85% of whom were women, makes the results difficult to generalize [6]. Within this sample size, nearly 80% reported moderate or above-moderate art experience, which could potentially bias results pertaining to skill level. The lack of a control group raises the possibility that the cortisol reduction occurred due to interaction with the researchers or simply spending 45 minutes relaxing rather than specifically creating art. Additionally, because only one session was examined, the study does not indicate whether or not regular creative practice produces lasting physiological benefits. Beyond these limitations, there are limitations with the use of cortisol as a biomarker as well. Although it’s a valuable indicator, it does not tell the whole story. Cortisol naturally fluctuates throughout the day, typically peaking shortly after waking up and declining later in the day. It’s also influenced by sleep, exercise, illness, medications, caffeine, and even anticipation of stressful events. So, cortisol does not exactly measure stress: it merely provides one measure that can be interpreted alongside other indicators.

Beyond the Kaimal study, research on the process and benefits of art therapy has been steadily increasing in recent years, since it became relatively widespread in the mid 20th century [1]. Neuroscience researchers have found that many forms of creative expression, including art-making, reduce the body’s stress by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system [4]. The majority of available research on art therapy agrees that creativity does reduce cortisol and stress, to varying levels [4]. The findings of art therapy research combined with the findings of the Kaimal et al. study give promising evidence that art-making does in fact reduce cortisol.

These results on art-making lead us to wonder if art-viewing could have a similar effect. Although art-making is generally easy and accessible, art-viewing is even more so, and could provide another simple way to reduce cortisol. The short answer is: likely yes. A 2021 scoping review examined 14 studies on passive visual art viewing and found consistent evidence that viewing artwork reduces stress [7]. Thirteen out of the fourteen examined studies measuring self-reported stress reported improvements, and all studies assessing systolic blood pressure (another physiological biomarker for stress) found reductions. While this evidence seems to prove that art-viewing does reduce stress, measures of other biomarkers, including cortisol, were less conclusive. Additionally, the authors caution that more rigorous randomized controlled trials using standardized interventions and physiological measures are required to strengthen their conclusions [7].

Knowing the potential stress-relieving benefits of engaging with art and other creative activities, we might consider how to structure art programs for maximum stress-reduction. One mental health research organisation suggests that art programs designed to reduce stress should emphasize the creative process rather than artistic skill [3], which is in accordance with the findings of the Kaimal et al. study that the gratification comes from the experience, not the skill level [6] They also recommend providing enough time for participants to become fully absorbed in the activity, promoting a sense of flow in the experience. Finally, it’s encouraged to make creativity a regular practice rather than a one-time activity [3].

Research suggests that any medium of art, from painting to sculpting to digital, is beneficial to the artists’ well-being [6]. So, let's get started in art making! A great starting point to consider is reading one of Apples for Artists beginner tutorials, like Composition 1 or Portraits, which contain practice exercises at the end to help you get started. Happy creating!