What helps you with the following?

Releasing endorphins
Improving brain functionality
Stimulating creativity

The answer, believe it or not, is—--Play! The spirit and practice of play also keeps you energetic and feeling youthful. Studies support these findings, plus the improvement of memory and the stimulation of the central cortex.

Stuart Brown, MD, has spent decades studying play. He has a book, aptly called ‘Play,’ and a Ted Talks on the subject. He has broken play down into several components:

Rough-and-Tumble Play
Ritual Play-both board games and sports with set rules and structures.
Imaginative Play-arts, storytelling, acting, improv, and coloring are examples
Body Play-Examples include yoga, Pilates, hiking, whitewater rafting, surfing, snorkeling, and carnival rides
Object Play-Includes building with Legos, blocks, building kits, and Jenga blocks

Other ideas for play are going to a playground with kids, blowing bubbles, and indulging in childrens’ games such as Hopscotch and Jacks, and childrens’ board games.

Play is a great way to ‘get lost’ in the enjoyable chosen activity to tune out the rest of the world for a while.