Here’s something Rally didn’t see coming: new science is linking creativity to younger biological age — we’re talking five to seven years younger brains in some studies. Whether you’re into painting, music, dancing, writing, or just going to a show, Rally’s got the goods on why creative activities might be your best anti-aging move yet. Tune in and find out how to put it to work.
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:
RALLY:
Hey, Beautiful People! Welcome back.
I’m Rally Preston — your 70-year-old host of The Silver Beast Podcast.
And today, we’re going to send your body’s cells back in time. C’mon, it’ll be fun…I promise.
Hey — anybody remember that old TV show “The Time Tunnel”? Oh, a few of you? Good memory. Aired in 1966 on ABC.
Anyway, the show was about this big government project to build a time machine 800 stories below the Arizona desert…which, ok, hit pause on that for a minute. I live in Arizona…I can’t dig down six inches in my backyard…so, 800 stories, uh, no way — but you know, that’s Hollywood.
Anywho, The Time Tunnel had that big, black and white tunnel, kind of trippy – maybe that will jog your memory. Oh, and Lee Merriweather was in it too.
So the plot was a couple of guys got stuck in it. Kept getting bounced around in time. The show got canceled before they ever got out – so I guess they’re still there.
Well to make a painfully long story even longer, that’s what we’re going to do with your cells.
Except we’re not going to use a time tunnel – don’t be silly.
All we’re going to do is make sure you’re having a little fun doing creative things…that’s it.
OK, so let me explain this…
There’s some new research out now. It basically says if you’re doing something creative…like painting, dancing, making music, writing, even playing certain video games, yeah — those kinds of things may slow down how fast you’re aging.
Now this is not just you’ll feel younger…not that…we’re talking cellular-level changes that slow your aging down biologically.
Alright, quick set-up here…
So almost all your cells contain DNA, that’s basically a tiny little instruction manual that tells each cell what to do…which is exactly what my wife does for me, so I don’t really need the DNA, but, you know, whatever.
So there are a couple of studies out on turning back your biological clock with creativity. And I’m just going to hit the highlights here…but they’re pretty interesting.
The first one’s from University College London in the UK. And this was a big study. And here’s what they found: people who regularly engaged in arts and cultural activities — things like painting, theater, music, dancing, even going to museums and concerts — they were aging more slowly biologically than people who didn’t do those things.
And I should say they used epigenetic clocks to measure all this. These look at your DNA and estimate how fast your body is aging — and not how old your birthday says you are, but how old you really are biologically.
Now here’s the jaw dropper on this UK study. They say being creative had about the same positive effect as regular exercise.
Yeah, no kidding.
Now I wouldn’t suggest you quit exercising and start gluing popsicle sticks together instead. But still, that’s pretty amazing.
OK, now look at this second study — published in the journal: Nature Communications.
This one went even deeper on the brain and creativity.
This team of neuroscientists looked at over 1,400 people to find out if being creative actually shows up in the brain biology.
And you know, it looks like it does.
They used what’s called brain clocks — machine-learning tools that estimate your actual brain age based on brain activity patterns. It’s very techy. And they compared people across four areas: dancing, playing music, visual arts, you know, like drawing. And one more: video games that involve strategy.
Now this next part, well, this is a big jaw dropper…yours may hit the floor on this one, so just make sure you’re standing on carpet, OK. People who were regularly and deeply engaged in those creative activities I just mentioned, on average, their brains looked five to seven years younger than their less-creative peers.
Five to seven years. Holy smokes.
I should quit spending money on supplements and just buy a watercolor set instead. Wow!
Now, before you get your Crayola crayons out, got a footnote for you here: Both of these studies were observational. They show a strong association — meaning creative people seem to be aging slower — but they don’t prove one hundred percent being creative is the reason why.
More research is in the works on that. So no guarantees on that just yet.
But there’s definitely a strong connection here – the same thing kept showing up in multiple studies.
Okay, so what’s going on here? WHY would being creative slow down the aging process?
Well, the researchers have theories…and this is just a quick rundown on those.
So, first theory: creative activities knock down stress. Chronic stress ages you big time. Inflammation, cell problems, and so on. Looks like creative activities dial all that back.
OK, Second theory: creativity keeps your brain building new connections. Now this one is what scientists call neuroplasticity. This one’s well-proven – and we’ve covered this one before too. Your brain literally rewires itself when you’re creative. The more healthier connections up there, the slower your brain might be aging. Simple as that.
Alright next theory, the third one: lots of creative activities are social. Now they’re not saying this is a must. What they’re saying is creative activities with a group might be another reason it works. So like a choir. Dance class. Community theater. An art class… you get the idea. Social connection plus creative engagement – that means you’re doubling down on some real brain protection there.
OK, all logical theories right?
Oh — and let me just mention something here.
You don’t have to be good at being creative. And that’s a good thing, especially for me…I would flunk out of a paint-by-numbers class.
So, no, you don’t have to be a Michelangelo or Mozart.
The only thing you have to do is stay engaged. Challenge yourself. Try something new and keep at it. That’s the key.
And, no prior experience needed. Even total beginners showed measurable brain benefits after just a few weeks of starting some new creative activity.
Alright, action steps. You want to turn back that ticking biological clock, right? Yeah, I know you do. Here’s just a handful of fun ideas to get you started:
Action Step One: Pick one creative thing. Just one. Like a dance class. A watercolor course. A writing group. A choir. A musical instrument you’ve always wanted to play. Whatever. Pick one thing – on your own or with a group – something that really gets you jazzed up. And you’ve got to commit to doing it at least once a week. But that’s it. Look at this as fun me-time… so you should really enjoy it.
Action Step Two: Make your creative project a little challenging. Here’s what the research says makes the difference: it needs to be something that makes you think, problem-solve, and learn. So pick something with a learning curve. So if your art is already hanging in the Louvre, well, don’t choose painting. Anything else. Your brain needs a little resistance – don’t make it too easy.
Action Step Three: Go to a show. Now seriously. Just going to a concert, a community play, a museum, an art gallery — all those count too. The research suggests that engaging with the arts, even as a spectator, is tied to better memory and slower cognitive decline. And bonus, it just might inspire you to pick up a paintbrush, or a clarinet, or something. Ballet shoes, maybe? Anyone?
Action Step Four: Get social with it. If you can, do your creative thing with other people. Take the class instead of watching the YouTube video. Join the choir instead of just singing in the shower. The combo of social connection plus creative activity seems to rack up the biggest benefits.
Ok, and finally, Action Step Five: Put it on the calendar. Having a blast being creative should be serious business. Treat it like a health appointment. Because that’s kind of what it is. Look at it like your creative time is brain health time. Don’t treat it like a when-I-get-around-to-it hobby. Schedule your creative time and stick to it – it’s worth it.
Alright, here’s the bottom line today, Silver Beasties:
All the healthy aging basics still work. Don’t skip those. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and good sleep. Keep at those. There are years of solid science behind them.
But that said… do think about this latest research on creativity.
These studies are showing that regular creative engagement might turn back the clock on your biological age.
And bonus, this new research doesn’t feel like medicine, right? It just feels like fun, because, well, it is.
So get creative, Beasties! Turn back that clock. I know you want to.
Alright, this is Rally Preston — And I want to thank you so much for stopping by today. And I’ll catch you next time on The Silver Beast Podcast. Take care!