09/26/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/26/2024 08:56
For children, playtime is serious business. As kids grow, playing helps develop thinking and reasoning skills, build social connections, improve motor skills and other physical abilities, and contributes to their emotional well-being. Yet for some reason, once we're grown, most of us leave play in the past.
That's a mistake, says Alexis Federman, D.O., a primary care physician at Henry Ford Health. "With our busy adult schedules, play might not seem like a good use of our time," Dr. Federman says. "But there are good reasons to reconsider."
Dr. Federman explains why play is beneficial for adults-and how to embrace your playful side.
Hide-and-seek, dressing up dolls, creating obstacle courses in the backyard…in childhood, it's pretty obvious which activities count as "play." In adulthood, play can be harder to spot. But it's there if you look closely enough.
Playful activities share a few features. Play is often imaginative and creative. It's typically an activity that you do because you want to, not because you have to. And, of course, it's fun. "Play is often about the process itself, not about the result," Dr. Federman says.
By design, play comes with a heaping dose of joy. As if that's not enough, play provides other benefits, too. Being playful can help you:
Even if you're on board with the idea of play, it can be hard to get in the habit. These tips will help you get going.
"As an adult, play can feel impractical or even silly," Dr. Federman says. Try to shake off your self-consciousness and let yourself get lost in the fun. Let go of any expectations of how things "should" turn out and see what happens. The joy is in putting paint to paper-not in creating a museum-worthy masterpiece.
Play comes in all shapes and sizes. Think about your personality type when considering how to spend your time. Psychological research suggests most play activities fall into one of these broad categories:
Unsure where to start? "Think back to the things you used to do as a kid," Dr. Federman suggests. Were you happiest on a bike? Painting pictures? Revisiting activities that you used to love is a great place to start looking for ways to play. But don't be afraid to put an updated spin on your old favorites: If you liked playing with blocks as a child, for instance, you might find that building more grown-up scale models brings you joy as an adult.
You're busy, but you're not too busy to enjoy yourself. Look for small opportunities to play throughout the day. Put together a puzzle after dinner instead of watching TV. Take a break from your typical gym routine to go for a hike in the woods. When you take your kids to the pool, dive in with them.
"Play is all about living in the moment," Dr. Federman says. "It can take practice to get beyond your self-consciousness, but it's worth the effort."
Reviewed by Dr. Alexis Federman, a primary care doctor who sees patients at Henry Ford Medical Center - Livonia.