Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us

A life-altering journey through the science of neuroaesthetics, which  offers proof for how our brains and bodies transform when we participate  in the arts—and how this knowledge can improve our health, enable us to  flourish, and build stronger communities.

“This book blew my mind!”—Angela Duckworth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grit

Many  of us think of the arts as entertainment—a luxury of some kind. In Your  Brain on Art, authors Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross show how activities  from painting and dancing to expressive writing, architecture, and more  are essential to our lives.

We’re on the verge of a cultural  shift in which the arts can deliver potent, accessible, and proven  solutions for the well-being of everyone. Magsamen and Ross offer  compelling research that shows how engaging in an art project for as  little as forty-five minutes reduces the stress hormone cortisol, no  matter your skill level, and just one art experience per month can  extend your life by ten years. They expand our understanding of how  playing music builds cognitive skills and enhances learning; the  vibrations of a tuning fork create sound waves to counteract stress;  virtual reality can provide cutting-edge therapeutic benefit; and  interactive exhibits dissolve the boundaries between art and viewers,  engaging all of our senses and strengthening memory. Doctors have even  been prescribing museum visits to address loneliness, dementia, and many  other physical and mental health concerns.

Your Brain on Art is a  portal into this new understanding about how the arts and aesthetics  can help us transform traditional medicine, build healthier communities,  and mend an aching planet.

Featuring conversations with artists  such as David Byrne, Renée Fleming, and evolutionary biologist E. O.  Wilson, Your Brain On Art is an authoritative guide neuroaesthetics. The  book weaves a tapestry of breakthrough research, insights from  multidisciplinary pioneers, and compelling stories from people who are  using the arts to enhance their lives.