Art on repeat prescription

At times of stress, we are often told to do less. But a crammed diary has always been a cue for me to do more: snatch time to read, pick up a pen, paint with my daughter. These activities soothe and stretch my brain in ways I can’t find otherwise, although I have never thought of them as contributions to my health; rather, part of how I live. It is concerning that doctors are less likely than the general population to engage in the arts because evidence has long highlighted their empathy-enhancing potential. As a profession underinvested in these pursuits for ourselves, might we have also underestimated this “forgotten fifth pillar of health” to improve the wellbeing of our patients?