Looking at art can provide immediate relief of stress

OOKING at original works of art in galleries can help immediately relieve stress, a study has found.

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Viewing art also has a “positive impact” on the immune system, the nervous system and the network of glands responsible for releasing hormones, according to researchers.

The findings suggest art does not just move people emotionally, but can also calm the body, they added.

The study by experts at King’s College London involved 50 people aged 18 to 40.

Half viewed original artwork by the likes of Van Gogh and Gauguin at the Courtauld Gallery in London, while the other half looked at copies of the same paintings in a non-gallery environment.

The two groups wore sensors that continually measured their heart rates and skin temperature during the 20 minute session, with saliva samples also taken pre and post-viewing.

From these samples, researchers found that levels of the stress hormone cortisol fell by an average of 22% among those viewing original art, compared to just 8% looking at reproductions.