People who regularly take part in arts and cultural activities appear to age more slowly at a biological level and the effect is comparable to the benefits seen from regular exercise, according to a study published in the journal Innovation in Aging.
What the Study Looked At
Could visiting a gallery, listening to music, or simply curling up with a good book actually slow down your biological clock? According to a new study from University College London, the answer may well be yes.
The research drew on survey data and blood test results from 3,556 adults across the UK. Scientists compared how often and how widely participants engaged in arts and cultural activities, including reading, listening to music, attending concerts, or visiting museums and galleries, with measurable chemical changes in their DNA.
These DNA changes, known as epigenetic markers, affect how our cells age without actually altering our genetic code. By using seven different “epigenetic clocks” scientific tools that estimate biological age and the pace at which someone is ageing the team was able to assess whether arts engagement made a real, physical difference.
The Findings
People who took part in arts activities at least once a week appeared to age 4% more slowly than those who rarely engaged with the arts at all. Strikingly, this was exactly the same benefit seen in people who exercised at least once a week compared to those who did no exercise.
Even less frequent engagement showed benefits. Taking part in an arts activity at least three times a year was linked to ageing 2% more slowly. Monthly participation bumped that up to 3%, and weekly activity to 4%.
To put that in perspective, the difference between weekly arts engagement and rare engagement was comparable to the difference in ageing pace seen between current smokers and ex-smokers in previous studies.
The research also found that variety matters. People who engaged in a wider range of different arts activities showed greater benefits than those who stuck to just one. The effects were particularly pronounced in middle-aged and older adults aged 40 and above, and held firm even after accounting for other lifestyle factors like BMI, smoking, education and income.
Why Might the Arts Slow Ageing?
Lead author Professor Daisy Fancourt explained what might be driving these effects: “These results demonstrate the health impact of the arts at a biological level. They provide evidence for arts and cultural engagement to be recognised as a health-promoting behaviour in a similar way to exercise. Our study also suggests that engaging in a variety of arts activities may be helpful. This may be because each activity has different ‘ingredients’ that help health, such as physical, cognitive, emotional or social stimulation.”
In other words, different activities work in different ways: reading might exercise the mind, music might ease stress, and visiting a gallery might offer both social connection and emotional engagement. Together, they add up to something meaningful for the body as well as the mind.
Senior author Dr Feifei Bu added: “Our study provides the first evidence that arts and cultural engagement is linked to a slower pace of biological ageing. This builds on a growing body of evidence about the health impact of the arts, with arts activities being shown to reduce stress, lower inflammation and improve cardiovascular disease risk, just as exercise is known to do.”
A Simple Step With Real Benefits
One of the most encouraging aspects of these findings is how accessible they are. Unlike gym memberships or structured fitness regimes, many arts activities cost very little or nothing at all, including borrowing a library book, listening to the radio, or taking a walk around a free museum are all well within reach for most people.
The research suggests that arts and culture shouldn’t be seen as a luxury or a leisure add-on, but as a genuine contributor to healthy living, something worth taking seriously both in public health guidance and in our own daily choices.
Professor Fancourt and her team at UCL have spent nearly a decade investigating the links between arts and health. This latest study, funded by UK Research and Innovation and Wellcome, adds the strongest biological evidence yet to that growing body of work.
Daisy Fancourt, Lehané Masebo, Saoirse Finn, Hei Wan Mak, Feifei Bu, Does leisure activity matter for epigenetic aging? Analyses of arts engagement and physical activity in the UK Household Longitudinal Study, Innovation in Aging, Volume 10, Issue 6, 2026, igag038, https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igag038