Fuelled by the times we live in, craft is booming. With Covid-19 lockdowns, many have turned to craft to occupy themselves or to make scrubs and masks. And as awareness grows of the climate emergency, people are reducing, reusing and recycling more, and upcycling as well. TV programmes like Sewing Bee and The Repair ShopContinue reading “Crafting Away”
Tag Archives: Wellbeing
A Step In Time
Ballet might seem to be more about movement than music, but music is clearly integral to ballet’s impact: so it’s the latest music genre I’m exploring in my occasional series on why different styles of music might boost wellbeing in different ways. One genre I recently focused a blog post on was musicals, songs fromContinue reading “A Step In Time”
Creativity And Autism
To mark World Autism Awareness Day on 2nd April, I’m focusing this blog post on how and why art – and music and nature too – can help people who have autism. World Autism Day was founded by the UN and is held every year on 2nd April, as an opportunity to rais eawareness ofContinue reading “Creativity And Autism”
The Sound Of Nature
Experiencing nature through sound might boost mood, calm us, excite or uplift us. Nature’s impact on wellbeing usually focuses on the sights we see, or on exercising outdoors. But there’s a wealth of sounds to draw on as well. Biophony (as sounds of the natural world are known) has become a tool for monitoring biodiversity,Continue reading “The Sound Of Nature”
In The Frame
Great art might open up great opportunities for wellbeing. So far Medley has mainly explored art’s impact on people who themselves take part in painting, drawing or crafting. In this blog post the focus turns to how looking at art might in itself also boost wellbeing and enhance life in diverse ways. How might enjoyingContinue reading “In The Frame”
All Singing, All Dancing
By their sheer exuberance, musicals transport us to a different world. What specific impact do they have on health and wellbeing, maybe more than other music genres? I hope this will be the first in an occasional series within Medley’s regular blog posts, exploring how and why different music genres have particular impacts on us.Continue reading “All Singing, All Dancing”
Wild And Urban
For people and nature alike, towns and cities can be places of opportunity – or wastelands. Many people find urban living exciting and positive, while others find it overwhelming or depressing. And urban environments can be hostile to wildlife too, as light pollution confuses species as different as moths and migrating birds, street trees mayContinue reading “Wild And Urban”
Stepping Out
Any walk is a journey, or even a story with a beginning, a middle and an end: although it might not seem like that as you trudge through the wind and rain. Walking is linear. It has a start and end point. I wonder if this is why walking helps many people when life isContinue reading “Stepping Out”
A New Song
When I told someone that I would be writing about singing, music and Parkinson’s Disease, she asked: “But why would music help Parkinson’s?” And her response struck me, because it’s true that the part music can play in many illnesses is far less well known than, say, its impact on dementia. Through recent years soContinue reading “A New Song”
Breathing Space
Many people welcome any new year with euphoria, with high hopes of new opportunities. For others a new year might be a time of fear, anxiety, dread or uncertainty over what is to come. To many people every single day is a hurdle, let alone an entire year. People who care for others, or whoContinue reading “Breathing Space”
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