Do you want to live longer? Go to exhibitions and museums

It has long been known that positive emotions, as well as communication with the beautiful, have a beneficial effect on a person's state of mind, make him balanced and positive. But scientists have found out that it works not only on a psychological level. It turned out that cultural leisure reduces the likelihood of premature death by 31% and this figure is confirmed by long-term observations.

The results of the study of the impact of trips to museums and galleries on human life expectancy were published on the pages of the authoritative scientific publication British Medical Journal by scientists from University College London. To make final conclusions, the researchers had to study the experience of more than 6,710 people over the age of 50.

It has been accurately established that a person visiting museums, exhibitions, opera or theater feels better than those who avoid cultural events. If you visit museums 5-6 times a year, the probability of dying early decreases by 14%. But with regular visits to cultural centers, the probability of premature death is 31% lower and the result is not affected by either gender or income level of a person.

British scientists claim that there is nothing supernatural about this unusual phenomenon. Cultural leisure excludes a sedentary lifestyle that causes many cardiovascular diseases. Do not forget that in elderly people, mental health is closely interrelated with physical health. It is obvious that connoisseurs of beauty are much less prone to depression and stressful states, as they lead a brighter and richer life.

There is a deeper explanation. Researchers believe that creativity and imagination are an integral part of artistic interaction. They are associated with an increase in the chances of survival of a certain species and this applies not only to humans. It must be said that some museums have a particularly beneficial effect on visitors, for example, the Museum of Erotic Art in Naples.