Wellness: The Importance of Playing
Play is defined by Oxford dictionary as, "engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose"
So when was the last time you played and no, we are not talking about that kind of play.
Whilst we played endlessly as kids and enjoyed our free time, life as an adult comes with endless schedules, goals and targets which means play is not prioritized in our daily lives.
When was the last time you did something just for fun?, not as part of a goal or even for the gram?
Through play, children learn more about themselves and about their environment. They learn what they are capable of and how they can interact and engage with other people and the world. For adults, the benefits are much more when used intentionally.
Playing reduces stress
All of our daily activities and experiences trigger different hormones within our body, play is considered to trigger both dopamine and seratonin which are feel good hormones. These hormones help to reduce stress naturally. Through dopamine by fulfilling our sense of achievement, and through serotonin by enabling a sense of joy and happiness. Examples include trampolining, playing with your kids after work for an hour.
Play boosts creativity
Playing enables curiosity, a key ingredient for learning and creating. Think tasks like painting, pottery or simply building a sand castle.
Play calms the central nervous system
With daily anxiety filled tasks like meetings and emails, our nervous systems are often in a state of flight or fight. Exercise is quite often recommended to help reduce stress and help us disconnect from anxiety. Much like exercise, playing diffuses anxious feelings of flight and flight by allowing the mind to switch off and be more present.
Play rewires the brain to seek joy
Being intentional with playing can mean scheduling time in your calendar daily, setting a reminder or an alarm. Something to mentally prepare you for that state, the same way a meeting reminder would. When done for long enough, your body and mind can get used to this activity, much like a reminder for a train ride or zoom call does. You brain will expect to relax into joy.
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