Enjoying original works of art in a gallery can relieve stress, reduce the risk of heart disease and boost your immune system, according to the first study of its kind.
Researchers measured the physiological responses of participants while viewing masterpieces by world-renowned artists including Manet, Van Gogh and Gauguin in a gallery.
They found that art positively influences the immune, hormone and nervous systems all at once – something never previously recorded. The findings suggest that seeing original art not only moves people emotionally, but also calms the body and promotes health and wellbeing.
The study, led by King’s College London, involved 50 people aged between 18 and 40 in the UK. Half viewed original artwork at the Courtauld Gallery in London, while the other half looked at copies of the same paintings in a non-gallery environment.
The two groups wore sensors that continually measured their heart rates and skin temperature during the 20-minute session, with saliva samples also taken before and after viewing.
From these samples, researchers found that levels of the stress hormone cortisol fell by an average of 22% among those viewing original art, compared with just 8% looking at reproductions.
Pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-alpha) linked to stress and a number of chronic diseases fell by 30% and 28% respectively among those in the gallery, with no changes in the other group. This suggests art has a potential calming effect on the body’s inflammatory responses.
Dr Tony Woods, a researcher at King’s College London, said: “The research clearly shows the stress-reducing properties of viewing original art and its ability to simultaneously excite, engage and arouse us.
“Stress hormones and inflammatory markers like cortisol, IL-6 and TNF-alpha are linked to a wide range of health problems, from heart disease and diabetes to anxiety and depression.
“The fact that viewing original art lowered these markers suggests that cultural experiences may play a real role in protecting both mind and body.”
The study also found that art engages the immune system, the nervous system and the endocrine system, which is responsible for releasing hormones.
Researchers detected signs of excitement among those viewing art in the gallery, including a dip in skin temperature, overall higher heart rates and a variation in heartbeat patterns.
“From a scientific perspective, the most exciting outtake is that art had a positive impact on three different body systems – the immune, endocrine and autonomic systems – at the same time,” Woods said. “This is a unique finding and something we were genuinely surprised to see.
“In short, our unique and original study provides compelling evidence that viewing art in a gallery is good for you and helps to further our understanding of its fundamental benefits. In essence, art doesn’t just move us emotionally – it calms the body too.”
The emotional intelligence of each person was also assessed before the study using questionnaires but researchers said this had no impact on individual responses.
Jenny Waldman, the director of the Art Fund, which co-funded the study, said: “This study proves for the first time what we’ve long felt at Art Fund – that art really is good for you.
“What’s particularly exciting is that the findings show these benefits are universal – they can be experienced by anyone. We want to encourage everyone to make time to visit their local museum or gallery and experience these powerful effects for themselves.”
