Why Adults Should Play
Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we stop playing. But why??
While play may seem frivolous - or even possibly silly - when we’re adults, it is actually vital to our well-being. UW Health psychologist Shilagh Mirgain, PhD, explains that play helps relieve stress, boosts creativity, improves our mood and outlook and keeps our minds sharp. It also improves our relationships with others.
“In play we find the freedom to color outside the lines of our life. There is a learning that comes from this unstructured time. It allows us to tap into our imagination, try different things and not be afraid to fail along the way,” she said.
Perhaps it’s a reflection of our society these days, but spontaneous opportunities to play can be hard to come by. Most kids have scheduled playdates and it’s something adults should consider as well. I love my fireside gatherings with my girlfriends.
Some ideas include:
Hosting a game nights with friends
Playing with a pet
Crafting or other art projects
Playing with children
Going to a local park
Playing tennis or Frisbee or another game with others
The Benefits of Play for Adults keep us Ageless. Below are some examples of these benefits.
Relieve stress. Play is fun and can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
Improve brain function. Playing chess, completing puzzles, or pursuing other fun activities that challenge the brain can help prevent memory problems and improve brain function. The social interaction of playing with family and friends can also help ward off stress and depression.
Stimulate the mind and boost creativity. Young children often learn best when they are playing—a principle that applies to adults, as well. You’ll learn a new task better when it’s fun and you’re in a relaxed and playful mood. Play can also stimulate your imagination, helping you adapt and solve problems.
Improve relationships and your connection to others. Sharing laughter and fun can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others. Play doesn’t have to include a specific activity; it can also be a state of mind. Developing a playful nature can help you loosen up in stressful situations, break the ice with strangers, make new friends, and form new business relationships.
Keep you feeling young and energetic. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Play can boost your energy and vitality and even improve your resistance to disease, helping you function at your best.
Incorporating more fun and play into your daily life can improve the quality of your relationships, as well as your mood and outlook. Even in the most difficult of times, taking time away from your troubles to play or laugh can go a long way toward making you feel better. It’s true what they say: laughter really is the best medicine. Laughter makes you feel good. And the positive feeling that comes from laughter and having fun remains with you even after the giggles subside. Play and laughter help you retain a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations, disappointments, and loss.
Come join our community
Next Group starts April 7th
Be a part of us. There’s a better you that is simple to attain - a more beautiful, confident woman.
Let’s embark on this journey together!
Together we can accomplish anything, climb any mountain and overcome any obstacle.
Together we’re a community that plays together!
Together we’re unbeatable.
Together we’re unstoppable.
Let’s explore the science of aging and strength together because together.
We have the gift of time!
Small routines
Small habits
Little things that add up everyday.
Nourishment of your body, matters.
Nourishment of your feelings, matters.
Nourishment of your thoughts, matters.
Nourishment of your relationships, matters.
Nourishment of your spirituality, matters.
All these dimensions: physical, emotional, mental/cognitive, social and spiritual aspects within you, matter.
✨✨You matter✨✨
“Life is too short and too long not to be happy” Let’s PLAY🤸🏼♀️
