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Hidden Brain

What Art Does For Your Brain

Think about the last time a piece of music stopped you in your tracks, or a novel kept you up late at night. Why do these experiences feel so powerful? Psychobiologist Daisy Fancourt says engagement with the arts can help to regulate our emotions, build resilience, and support long-term well-being. She joins us to talk about this research, and to share practical ways to bring more creativity into our everyday lives.
Duration
56m
Broadcast on
24 Aug 2026
Audio Format
other

Think about the last time a piece of music stopped you in your tracks, or a novel kept you up late at night. Why do these experiences feel so powerful? Psychobiologist Daisy Fancourt says engagement with the arts can help to regulate our emotions, build resilience, and support long-term well-being. She joins us to talk about this research, and to share practical ways to bring more creativity into our everyday lives. 

Once you've listened to this episode, be sure to check out our companion conversation, "The Healing Arts," on Hidden Brain+. In that episode, Daisy shares how the arts are being incorporated into healthcare, and how these interventions are shaping patient outcomes. If you're not yet a Hidden Brain+ subscriber, you can listen with a free seven-day trial by going to support.hiddenbrain.org or apple.co/hiddenbrain. 

Did you know that physicians once treated feelings of nostalgia as an illness? We explore how our understanding of nostalgia has evolved over the last several hundred years on our new YouTube channel. Check it out, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any of our upcoming videos. 

 

 


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Think about the last time a piece of music stopped you in your tracks, or a novel kept you up late at night. Why do these experiences feel so powerful? Psychobiologist Daisy Fancourt says engagement with the arts can help to regulate our emotions, build resilience, and support long-term well-being. She joins us to talk about this research, and to share practical ways to bring more creativity into our everyday lives.