Key Takeaways
Regular engagement with art and culture tracks with better mood, stronger social ties, and healthier aging markers.
A new study found that frequent cultural outings—films, concerts, museums—may be linked to a younger biological age than calendar age.
Culture seems to turn curiosity, connection, and joy into measurable benefits for how we age.
Every few years, one or two movies or Broadway shows become a true phenomenon.
In the early 2010s, it was Hamilton, which rhapsodized Constitutional America. The summer of ‘Barbenheimer’ sparked a love of pink and Christopher Nolan. His latest film, The Odyssey, is now drawing millions (like me!) back into movie theaters.
Moments like these remind us that arts and culture are alive, and that they can do more than entertain.
New research suggests that staying connected to culture through museums, theaters, concerts, and cinemas may be linked to slower biological aging to support a longer, healthier life.
What cultural activity will you never say no to?
Aging and the arts
Diet, fitness, and sleep have dominated the conversation (and the budget… and the science…) about aging. But science is beginning to show that cultural and artistic engagement offer a different path to slower aging.
Research from Europe and Japan links participation in culture and the arts to a lower risk of depression, cognitive decline, and early death. A new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health adds to this, showing that cultural experiences could also make our bodies function younger.
Following nearly 2000 older adults, researchers found:
Cultural outings create younger bodies: People who regularly attended cultural outings were nearly three years “younger,” biologically, than those who didn’t.
Cultural outings slow the aging process: Culturally-engaged adults had healthier body mass index, grip strength, walking pace, cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, walking speed, and other healthy aging metrics.
Image credit: LostParrothead on YouTube. Jimmy Buffett - Gulf Shores Benefit Concert - Margaritaville - 18
The culture connection: How cultural outings can slow aging
Why can a painting, or prose, or seeing a performance influence how we age? Researchers think part of the answer involves relationships, healthier habits, and mental well-being.
Going to concerts, museums, plays, or films usually happens around other people, which can encourage conversation, shared experiences, and community.
One of the biggest benefits might be easing loneliness. More than a feeling, loneliness has been linked to a higher risk of inflammation, heart disease, dementia, and early death. In one large UK study, adults who regularly attended cultural activities were less likely to report loneliness years later.
Cultural spaces also create environments that expose us to different people, perspectives, and relationship-building opportunities.
A fun observational study from the Americans for the Arts found that 63% of Americans believe that the arts help them to understand other cultures within their communities better. To this day, good relationships are still the strongest predictor of happiness.
Healthier lifestyle
Lifestyle is estimated to account for 50-70% of longevity, and cultural outings could have a surprisingly influential role.
People who participate in cultural activities, for instance, are more likely to have a healthier diet, move more, and sleep well. Each outing can also leave an impact.
Take a trip to a museum, which often means hours of walking, standing, and exploring a novel and stimulating environment. Each burst of movement and curiosity might feel small, but they add up over time, which may support cognitive, cardiovascular, and mental health.
In fact, research from University College London has suggested that the benefits of cultural outings are similar to exercise.
It honestly doesn’t take much. A 2019 BMJ study found that adults 50+ who attended cultural events just twice a year had a 14% lower risk of dying in follow-up than those who never attended.
Improved mental health
Creative activities seem to help us reduce and regulate stress, a key indicator of healthspan.
Studies have shown that cultural activities like live concerts can reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which can contribute to ‘inflammaging’ (age-related inflammation) and wear-and-tear over time.
They can also increase resilience against future stressors. One example comes from a 2024 review, which found that people who engaged in cultural activities and hobbies before the COVID-19 pandemic showed greater resilience to COVID-related anxiety and loneliness.
There seems to be a clear link to depression risk as well, where the more someone participates in hobbies and cultural activities, the more their risk of depression falls. That alone might influence lifespan in a really positive way.
Despite all this, it’s worth noting that cultural engagement is both a contributor and consequence of healthy aging. So, as it can make you healthier, it seems like healthier adults are more likely to participate in cultural outings…possibly because they’re more able-bodied. Women, higher-income individuals, and paid workers are also more likely to attend cultural activities more frequently, suggesting there is—quite literally—a cultural divide.
Your cultural prescription
What’s encouraging to me is how little effort it really takes. Just a few trips to the movies or museums could make your body behave three years younger physiologically.
Here are a few ideas to help keep culture top-of-mind and to keep your trips interesting:
Make it a date: Schedule time to experience the arts and culture. Invite a friend to a gallery opening, a movie, or a show at your local playhouse.
Get the guided tour: Learning new things and sharing the experience with others can make it more memorable, social, and rewarding.
Go outside your comfort zone: Try something unfamiliar. Minor risk-taking and new experiences challenge the brain and encourage curiosity.
Enjoy the arts, age a little slower
Longevity happens when you immerse yourself in the world around you. Consider looking outside your kitchen or the gym for a healthier life. Growing evidence proves that longevity happens in concert halls, museums, theaters, and cinemas.
What’s happening out there, for a life well‑lived here.
Phish is playing Madison Square Garden on July 29. While you’re at it, don’t forget to get a ticket to our New York Women’s Health event September 26-27.
… Curious to hear your thoughts on a recurring culture segment.
Take action
Earn CE credits: Members of the Livelong Women's Inner Circle™ can now earn 10 CE hours through Pinnacle Conference, LLC. Physicians, nurses, PAs, pharmacists, dentists, dietitians, social workers, and athletic trainers can use code CECREDIT for $50 off their first year.
Make friends with women who enjoy women’s health: The Livelong Women’s Inner Circle TM is where women who are done going it alone figure it out together — with experts, with each other, and without the overwhelm. 👉 Join the Inner Circle
This question comes from last week’s newsletter, The fitness rule that survives life. We asked:
Have you ever felt like you had to "start over" with your fitness?
For most, it’s been more times than you count. I’m so inspired by your resilience, though. One reader could hardly walk after fracturing three vertebrae. “Now I lift weights again and walk a few miles four times a week.” I hope their resilience inspires you, too.
Until next time!
Erin
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The information provided about wellness and health is for general informational and educational purposes only. We are not licensed medical professionals, and the content here should not be considered medical advice. Talk to a doctor before trying any of these suggestions.
