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| Viewing art to lower blood pressure (Photo: wchm-tx) |
According to Swedish researcher Britt Maj Wikstroem from Ersta Sköndal University in Stockholm, viewing art and discussing its beauty not only soothes the soul but also helps alleviate certain ailments such as high blood pressure and constipation.
Wikstroem conducted a study with two groups, each consisting of 20 elderly women around the age of 80. The results were quite promising for the group of women who gathered once a week for four months to view and discuss paintings.
They exhibited a more positive and creative outlook on life, had better blood pressure levels, and experienced significantly less constipation compared to the other group of women who met weekly to discuss their work. It is known that Wikstroem has been researching the effects of fine arts on human health since the 1980s.
