Warning: YouTube plus animals may equal hours of laughing depending on how much charge you have left on your device. All of us may have been sucked into the endless funny cat or dog video compilations that crack us up, producing audible laughter, even if you are alone in the room. You may not notice the time or how long you have spent on what society would define as a meaningless pursuit. The good news is that this is a form of mindfulness mixed with play and it is an important part of your mental health as an adult. Play changes as we grow older, but the need for it is just as important as it was as a child.
Keep watching these videos and you just may see other animals playing, not only primates keep playing when grown up: otters have fun sliding down natural slides (e.g., rocks eroded by water), some sea lions enjoy throwing starfishes each other and ravens love sliding down in the snow. Scientists haven’t found out any evolutionary or immediate survival sense for all these behaviors apart from a mere recreational objective.
Regardless of the species, the outcome may be the same. According to the National Institute of play experts, playful activities are linked to release of endorphins. They often nurture relationships, creating better connection with the people and or our animal friends. Benefits also include an increase in creativity, and better problem, solving skills. Playfulness as you age also decreases your chances of developing depression, improves cognitive functioning and actually can help you avoid age-related disease such as dementia.
What are some tips on how to make time for playtime as adults?
As an adult, sometimes we lose the idea that play is an important part of our lives. According to Stuart Brown in his TED talk, “Now, the program says that the opposite of play is not work, it’s depression. And I think if you think about life without play — no humor, no flirtation, no movies, no games, no fantasy and, and, and. Try and imagine a culture or a life, adult or otherwise without play. And the thing that’s so unique about our species is that we’re really designed to play through our whole lifetime.”
Carving time for play throughout your day is not all that difficult. Play does not have to be confined to hours, but can be minutes. It can be the playful banter with a co-worker, imagining what an object on your desk can also be used for. It can consist of daydreaming or even just smiling and laughing throughout the day. If your work is packed with meetings and seriousness, start to look for small opportunities to laugh and smile. Without these moments, we lose our creativity, as well as our sense of humanity.
Making time on the weekends for play is much easier and you can spend more time outdoors, watching animal life, making snow angels or building a fort. The ideas are endless when you start to use your imagination just as you did as a child. If imagination has become difficult, take yourself back to the time when you did use your imagination and remember what it felt like. You may find that the more play you put back in your life, the more energy you have. This playfulness can stave off depression and bring meaning back to your life.
What counts as playtime for adults?
According to Stuart Brown, the play researcher, “If its purpose is more important than the act of doing it, it’s probably not play. Play can consist of:
- Watching football
- Doing a jigsaw puzzle
- Physical games playing tennis or football
- Hikes in nature
- Taking any object and trying to consider it as being used in a new way
- Daydreaming
- Watching clouds and imagining shapes
- Fun banter with a friend
- Camping
- Playing with your dog or other pets
- Dancing (even in a cubicle at work)
- Joking with friends or co-workers
- Video games
- Climbing rocks
The list can go on as far as your imagination can take you, but the goal is to find that place where you lose track of time, are fully engaged, and feel a sense of joy. According to Stuart Brown, he states that humans, are “the most youthful, the most flexible, the most plastic of all creatures. And therefore, the most playful. And this gives us a leg up on adaptability.” So, keep finding ways to play, laugh and enjoy the people around you. This just may be the secret to happiness throughout your lifetime.