Why You Should Play More

“Healing your inner child” has become a trending topic in social media today, and for good reason! Play has many benefits to offer a person’s health and quality of life. That’s why, this Loosen Up, Lighten Up Day, we want to give you a few good reasons why you should play more in your day-to-day life.

Cultivates Happiness

Play is fun and gives us a chance to connect with the world and people around us. Playing around releases happy chemicals known as endorphins (yes, the same ones you get from exercise) through our brains. It has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety and cultivates a sense of enjoyment and happiness in life.

Improves Brain Function

Think back to your school days. What has stuck with you well into adulthood, and what hasn’t? The playful moments of your schooling are the moments you learned the most, right? That’s because play has been shown to improve brain functioning, allowing your brain to soak in new information and challenges like a sponge.

Boosts Creativity

Do you ever wonder how children are so creative? The answer is easy: they know how to play! Play stimulates your brain and allows your imagination to run wild, which can result in greater problem-solving skills, creativity, and adaptation skills. It does this by enhancing feelings of curiosity, enjoyment, and pleasure-seeking, which can all be forms of play in their own way.

Improves Social Skills

We tend to overthink and self-isolate when we are taking ourselves too seriously. We worry that we will be judged or disliked. However, facing social situations with a playful nature can help you loosen up as you attempt to cultivate new relationships or deepen relationships you already have.

Improves Working Relationships

Building a playful approach to life will allow you to problem-solve, collaborate, and face stressful situations with more rationality and creativity. When you play more, you may find that your relationship with your coworkers becomes more innovative, productive, and efficient.

Improves Personal Relationships

Having fun with the people you love creates memories, empathy, trust, compassion, and feelings of intimacy. Cultivating a relationship with a playful nature will help you and your partner handle conflict and stressful situations with more resilience and may significantly reduce catastrophic thinking.

Ways to Play as an Adult

We all know how to play in childhood. Unfortunately, many of us lose that skill somewhere along the way. If you don’t know how to even begin to play, here are some tips to get you started:

Try out different hobbies until you find one you love. Pick up a playful hobby that gets you moving, like golfing, joining a sports team, or rock climbing.

Make sure your mind is set on playing and having fun.

If you are struggling with your mental health, we are here for you. Our counseling team is compassionate and skilled in highly effective therapy techniques, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Contact us today, and we will work to get you feeling better.

References

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22706923/

Keywords: mental health, play, inner child, counseling, CBT