Creative activities may slow biological aging, study finds

A new study suggests that engaging in creative activities such as painting, singing, dancing, and theater may slow down biological aging by up to 1% every year, according to research presented at the St. Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures. The study, which spanned 15 years and included over 3,000 participants of different ages, found that weekly involvement in creative hobbies was linked to a deceleration of biological aging indicators.

The findings, reported by Russia’s Novosti news agency, indicate that the benefits of creative activities are consistent across various types of creative pursuits. Additionally, the research involved another study with more than 300 individuals, including theater artists and students from Moscow’s Oleg Tabakov Theater School, as well as professionals from other fields and students from non-creative universities.

The study noted that the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory and learning, remained larger in artists—10 to 11% larger compared to non-artists—suggesting a slower rate of hippocampal atrophy. This may be attributed to heightened brain cell activity and enhanced neural connections, a phenomenon known as cognitive reserve, which aids the brain in handling age-related deterioration.

The St. Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures, where these findings were unveiled, is scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg from September 24 to 26, 2026. The event is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with backing from the Russian government, the Ministry of Culture, and the St. Petersburg city administration. TASS serves as the forum’s primary media partner.