Five Scientific Reasons to Start (or keep on) Scrapbooking

Enjoy this article taken from my "snail mail" local-customer newsletter this week! And if you live near the Watertown, Wisconsin area and would like to be on my mailing lists, shoot me an email! zwolaneks@att.net

1. The National Geographic Society estimates than about 80 billion photos were taken in 2011 alone. That figure will only rise as more and more of our gadgets come with cameras. Every two minutes more photos are taken than were taken in all of the 1800’s combined! Something needs to be done to sort and pare down those memories into a useable, practical format.

2. Researchers in Great Britain discovered a mood booster that works even better than chocolate, wine, or music! What is it? Looking at pictures of your loved ones! Studies showed that viewing personal photos of family, friends, and trips they had taken significantly lifted people’s moods. The next time you’re down, pull out an album and you’ll feel better in no time!  This also makes scrapbooks the perfect gift for elderly or isolated people who live far from family.

3. Socialization with people with similar interests has long been recognized as part of a healthy, happy life. While you can get together with friends without scrapbooking, it is one great way to make a regular time for yourself to catch up with friends in our busy world.

4. Researchers at UCLA discovered that looking at pictures of a loved one reduced pain levels. Scrapbooking is a wonderful way to get your mind off a painful physical condition or as an activity during recuperation from surgery.

5. Scrapbooking has also recently been proven therapeutic for Alzheimer’s Disease, by helping the patient remain in the current context, giving them activities to connect with their families, and reducing disassociation. It also helps caregivers see the patient as a real person who lived a full life.

There are many reasons to scrapbook, including that it is just plain FUN! Stampin’ Up has tons of scrapbooking supplies to suit your style, whether traditional or digital, or a combination of both (hybrid). Just do it! Your family will be so glad you did.