Elevate Play: Could growing up be bad for you? Not if we rediscover the art (and science) of play!

When I was a little girl, I dreamed about what my life might be like as a grown up. What I would do, who I would be, the many jobs I dreamed I would have, how many children I might have, what countries I would travel to, where would I live…would I get to build my log cabin on a hill, in the trees, by the beach (I kid you not, I even drew up my own architectural designs, well as architectural as it could get for a 7 year old)🤔

It was light and joyous to dream about ALL the possibilities, about all the experiences, about all the FUN I would have as an adult.

And this is how it feels for most of us when we are kids.

Somewhere along the way we start to take it all a little, well actually, a lot seriously. And it’s not surprising because adulting is hard!

So is growing up bad for us or do we just need to shift our perspective a little?

Most of us understand that play is an important part of childhood development, that it shapes what and how children learn, that it helps them to learn about themselves and the world around them…but did you know that play is beneficial for us at any age?

Yet most us simply stop playing when we grow up.

Why do we stop playing?

What might happen if we decided to bring back a little of that playful curiosity we had as kids? Is there anything useful about bringing back play into our lives as grown ups?

‘That’s what’s revolutionary about Play, it  creates something new out of what exists’ Dr Lois Holzman

Maybe we stop playing because it feels uncomfortable to step out of our comfort zone, feels odd to be silly, or maybe we just stop believing play can be useful to us as adults.

Play however is useful for adults too, and maybe if I outline some of the benefits of play for the adult brain you might begin to shift your perspective too 🤔

Here are 3 benefits of Play for the adult brain and how activities such as yoga, meditation, dance or simply learning something new can support your journey back to play!

1. Play Enhances Neuroplasticity

Play promotes neuroplasticity, that is, the brain's ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections throughout our entire life. Engaging in play stimulates different parts of the brain, which leads to improved cognitive flexibility and even improves our problem solving skills.

Why Yoga and Meditation?

Yoga and meditation are forms of mindful play. Yoga combines physical activity with mental focus, which enhances neural connectivity.

Meditation, particularly mindfulness meditation, has been shown to increase gray matter in areas of the brain involved in learning, memory, and emotional regulation.

Often in our yoga and meditation practices we are learning something new, opening ourselves up to novel experiences and this learning engages the brain in new ways, fostering neuroplasticity and enhancing cognitive ability, which can protect against neurodegenerative diseases. If we approach our yoga and meditation practices from a place of curiosity we switch our perspective from ‘achieving with attachment to outcomes’ to ‘learning with the intention of experiencing and no expectation of outcomes’. This is recognised by our brains as play and this is when neuroplasticity is enhanced!

2. Play Reduces Stress and Improves Mood

Play triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals, which promote an overall sense of well-being and can temporarily relieve physical pain. This reduction in stress has positive effects on brain function, improving memory, stress levels and mood.

Dance like nobody is watching: Dancing, especially when you are moving freely (ever seen how popular ecstatic dance yoga classes at yoga studios are🤩), is a physical activity that increases your endorphin levels. Just playfully and freely moving your body in dance also reduces cortisol, leading to improved mood and reduced stress and provides a form of expressive play, even better in a group which can enhance emotional regulation and social bonding. You can try this right now, pop on your favourite song and move however you like!

3. Play Improves Creativity and your capacity for decision making!

Ever noticed how adulting is full of decision making moments? And that some of those decisions, even the smallest ones like what to eat can feel like a mammoth task! Well here is where stepping away from adulting and leaning into play is interesting because play can enhance various cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, and spatial reasoning…yep all the things we need to enable us to make decisions. Play is very good at getting our creative juices flowing too, because when we play we experience flexible thinking and problem-solving in a relaxed, low-pressure environment.

Test this out by Learning Something New: Engaging in new learning experiences keeps the brain active and challenged, which can improve overall cognitive function. This continual learning and adaptation fosters creative thinking, enabling us to approach problems with innovative solutions. It doesn’t matter if it’s a new yoga sequence you have been wanting to try 🧘‍♀️knitting 🧶 dancing💃 or painting 🎨…as long as it is new and you approach the activity with a ‘let’s see!’ attitude you are playing and play is crucial for maintaining and enhancing brain health - yep in adults too!

Happy playing 😊

Kerry x.