30–45 minutes
of art-making can significantly lower cortisol levels.
The Science
From reducing stress to improving mood, expressing your health through creativity really can have a positive impact on your wellbeing.
Express Yourself
Create a healthier you
Whether it's picking up a paintbrush or simply visiting a gallery, research shows creativity can have a positive impact on your wellbeing. Even short bursts of creative activity can lower negative mood, enhance emotional regulation, and help you process life experiences.
Katherine Templar Lewis
Neuroscientist, Kinda Studios
“Short bursts of creative activity have been shown to help people process life experiences.”
Katherine Templar Lewis
20 minutes of viewing art can reduce stress by up to
22%
Why creativity is good for you
Creativity can significantly help reduce stress and anxiety. Research shows that 30–45 minutes spent making art can improve mood and help express feelings.1 Even simple activities like doodling can make a difference.2 Regularly engaging with art has also been linked to reducing the risk of depression and improving long-term mental health.3
If you're more of an art lover than an artist, viewing art can also make a difference. A recent study showed that participants who spent just 20 minutes looking at art saw their cortisol levels, a sign of stress, drop by up to 22%.4
Experience the power of creativity
Sharing your health story through art can offer tangible physical and mental benefits. So whether you doodle in your notebook, put paint to canvas, or simply visit one of our health story murals, express your health and experience the power of creativity.
Who are Kinda Studios?
Kinda Studios is the first women-led neuroaesthetics studio applying neuroscience research into creative projects to enhance the impact of arts, culture and technology on wellbeing and connection.
Katherine Templar Lewis
Katherine Templar Lewis is a cognitive and human scientist, best selling author and science communicator. Co-founder of the women-led Kinda Studios and lab, Katherine is an expert in neuroscience and the new field of neuroaesthetics, her research bridges academia and the real world.
Robyn Landau
Robyn Landau is a neuroaesthetics researcher and designer. As the co-founder of Kinda Studios, she pioneers new ways to measure, design, and translate science into cultural experiences, expanding the impact of art, culture, and technology on human connection and wellbeing.
ReferencesClick here to view references.
- 1.Kaimal, G., Ray, K., & Muniz, J. (2016). Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants' Responses Following Art Making. Art Therapy, 33(2), 74–80.
- 2.Conner, T. S., DeYoung, C. G., & Silvia, P. J. (2018). Everyday creative activity as a path to flourishing. Journal of Positive Psychology, 13(2), 181–189.
- 3.Fancourt, D et al (2019). How do artistic creative activities regulate our emotions? Validation of the Emotion Regulation Strategies for Artistic Creative Activities Scale (ERS-ACA). PLoS One, 14.
- 4.Stefanis, Nikos & Efthymiou et al (2024). Efficacy of Arts-based Social Prescribing for Mental Health in Adults with Psychiatric Diagnoses: Results from a Randomised Controlled Trial.