{"id":100543,"date":"2026-01-01T05:17:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T12:17:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=100543"},"modified":"2026-01-08T18:31:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T01:31:41","slug":"fewer-burpees-more-art-three-resolutions-for-a-healthier-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/fewer-burpees-more-art-three-resolutions-for-a-healthier-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Fewer Burpees, More Art: Three Resolutions for a Healthier 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Mixed-media<\/a>

Collage by Emily Larsen.<\/p><\/div>\n

Concerned with your health in 2026? Recent research shows the arts can be just as powerful as going to the gym in improving your health and well-being. Consider ditching the dumbbells for your New Year\u2019s resolution this year and adopting one of these three arts-related goals instead:<\/h4>\n

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Resolution #1: Visit an Art Museum or Gallery Weekly\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

A recent study by King\u2019s College in London <\/a>found that viewing original art in a gallery setting resulted in a 22% drop in cortisol (the body\u2019s main stress hormone) and around a 30% drop in inflammatory markers. As one of the study\u2019s lead researchers, Dr. Tony Woods summed it up: \u201cViewing art in a gallery is good for you.\u201d He explains: \u201cArt doesn\u2019t just move us emotionally\u2014it calms the body too.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Lucky for readers of 15Bytes,<\/i> there are more than 100 places in Utah to view artwork made by thousands of artists, from Logan to St. George and everywhere in between. Importantly, the research shows the benefits come from original art\u2014reproductions don\u2019t count. Choose a different gallery, museum, or art center each week, and call it your new cultural workout.<\/h4>\n

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Resolution #2: Start an Art Social Club or Ritual\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

Loneliness is a worldwide health epidemic, and Utah\u2019s own researcher Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad<\/a> has shown that lacking social connection is as dangerous to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. To combat this, doctors have started \u201csocial prescribing\u201d regular visits<\/a> and outings to arts organizations and performances<\/a>. During these visits, people form connections by regularly going to places where they interact with others.\u00a0 If it\u2019s the same place, at the same time, with some of the same people\u2014that\u2019s even better for building community.<\/h4>\n

So, in 2026 make it a habit to start an art club or ritual. You could take inspiration from Aimee Odum\u2019s Artist Run Club SLC,<\/a> which meets every Wednesday morning to run a 5K and check out a different art show in the SLC area; or from my friend Brittany Jepsen of The House that Lars Built<\/a> who last year bought season tickets to the Utah Symphony and invited a different friend to join her at each performance. A few friends and I just started our own informal \u201cNancy Holt Art Club\u201d and want to visit all the major land art pieces within driving distance of Salt Lake City.<\/h4>\n

You could also choose a city\u2019s gallery stroll night, or an arts organization that you love, and commit to showing up to all their events in 2026. If you join as a member at most of Utah\u2019s major arts organizations you get invited to exclusive events where many of the same people join you each time. The key is to go out, in-person, and interact with people while you\u2019re there!<\/h4>\n
\"Group<\/a>

Artist Run Club SLC in front of Caro Nilsson’s mural “The Seabirds Greeted the Moon” in Salt Lake City.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Resolution #3: Create Art Regularly\u2014Even if It\u2019s Bad\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

It\u2019s also very good for your health to create art\u2014any kind of art, <\/b>including visual, performing, or literary\u2014even if it\u2019s not very good.\u00a0 In their recent book, Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen look at the ways creating and experiencing art improves our well-being. About creating your own art, they write, \u201cwhen the arts become a regular practice\u2014the way you might improve nutrition, increase exercise, and prioritize sleep\u2014you unleash an innate tool that helps you navigate the peaks and valleys of your inner life. And the best news is that you don\u2019t have to be great, or even good, at making art to experience the benefits.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Ross and Magsamen point to multiple studies to show that creating art lowers stress, enhances immune function, increases cardiovascular reactivity, and improves our ability to regulate emotions and cope with challenges. They also cite a 2020 study finding that, across socioeconomic levels, \u201cpeople who engaged in the arts were found to have lower mental distress, better mental functioning, and improved quality of life.\u201d<\/h4>\n

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For Your Health\u2014Embrace the Arts\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

So as you make your goals for 2026, don\u2019t forget the arts. They have the power to lower stress, support mental health, foster social connection, and increase overall well-being and life satisfaction.<\/h4>\n

And at least for me, visiting the symphony, theater, or museum sounds a lot more appealing than hitting the gym. You can feel just as good about a trip to the museum as you can about doing a burpee\u2014and that\u2019s something we can all get behind in 2026.<\/h4>\n

\u2014<\/h4>\n
\"Mixed-media<\/a>

Collage by Emily Larsen.<\/p><\/div>\n

P.S. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how the arts can improve your life. If you\u2019re interested in learning more about the connection between arts and health check out some of the people, organizations, and resources below:<\/h4>\n