Art therapy
In a study, supportive care providers responding to a survey described the healing benefits of music and art therapy in hospital settings.
In an additional study conducted at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Staricoff compared the use and non-use of an art intervention in different units of the hospital. The groups that received the intervention were significantly more likely than were those that did not to have improved clinical outcomes, including better vital signs, diminished cortisol related to stress, and less medication needed to induce sleep.
There is also evidence that use of art and music reduces hospital stays, with studies showing earlier discharges among patients taking part in visual and performing arts interventions than among those not doing so. In 1 study, surgery or critical care patients who participated in guided imagery or had a picture of a landscape on their wall had a decreased need of narcotic pain medication relative to their counterparts and left the hospital earlier. Evaluations of art projects can link the benefits of creative expression to healing and greater wellness.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804629/