How 45 Minutes of Art-Making Reduces Your Stress Hormones
You don't need to be an artist or have any special talent. You don't even need a plan. A study published in Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association found that just 45 minutes of art-making significantly reduced cortisol levels in 75% of participants, no matter their experience with art.
Cortisol is the main stress hormone in your body. It causes your shoulders to tense up during a tough meeting, it keeps your brain racing at 2 AM when you can't stop thinking about tomorrow, and when it's constantly high, it leads to anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and even heart disease. Lowering cortisol isn't just about feeling better in the moment; it's a real health benefit.
What the Research Actually Found
The 2016 study by Kaimal, Ray, and Muniz included 39 adults who gave saliva samples before and after a 45-minute art-making session. The results were impressive: cortisol levels dropped significantly for most participants, regardless of whether they considered themselves artists or complete beginners.
Participants said they felt relaxed, focused, and free from their usual inner critic. Many felt they discovered something new about themselves. Some even experienced a sense of time slowing down and the day's noise fading away.
As a clinical psychologist, I read this and thought: this is what we aim for in therapy. And it can be achieved with just a pencil and paper.
Why Does It Work?
Art-making involves both the body and the mind in a unique way. Your hands are active. Your eyes are following movements. You make quick decisions about color, line, shape, and pressure. This kind of focused, sensory attention effectively interrupts the stress response cycle.
When we are stressed, we often get stuck in our thoughts: worrying, expecting, replaying. Art-making helps pull us back into our bodies and the present moment. It’s similar to meditation, but for many, it’s much easier to pick up a brush than to sit quietly with their thoughts.
Creating something new also plays a role. Even a small act of making activates the brain's reward system and creates a sense of control and achievement. In a world that often feels chaotic, this is important.
What This Means for You
You don't need a studio, fancy supplies, or artistic skill to reap these benefits. The research showed that even untrained individuals experienced cortisol reduction. The body doesn't care how good the final result looks; it just cares that you participated and created something.
In my own life, I paint after tough days, much like some people run or cook. I don’t do it because I feel inspired every time, but because I know how it calms my nervous system. Within twenty minutes at the canvas, I feel a shift in myself.
You might find similar relief with a sketchbook, clay, or watercolors on a Sunday afternoon. The medium doesn't matter; the act of making is what helps.
A Practical Starting Point
If you haven't made art since childhood and feel nervous about it, start with limitations: one color, one piece of paper, fifteen minutes. Allow yourself to create something that you think looks terrible. The aim isn’t the final product; it’s the process, along with the 45 minutes of cortisol reduction that comes from it.
Your body is craving this. The science is clear.
Mari
Source: Kaimal G, Ray K, Muniz J. Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants' Responses Following Art Making. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association. 2016;33(2):74–80. PubMed PMID: 27695158.
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