Smart Woman: PLAY! Just What the Doctor Ordered


Thursday, November 4th 1999, 12:00 am
By: News On 6


Five Benefits of grown-up fun:

  • It makes your more flexible and creative.

  • It reduces stress.

  • It allows you to feel less anxious and more in control of your life.

  • It helps you maintain physical health later in life.

  • It creates a mental “click” that helps people to sort things out in their minds.


Definitions of play and work:

Dr. Lenore Terr, M.D. is the author of the book “Beyond Love and Work. . . Why Adults Need To Play”. She defines play as “activity directed primarily at personal and family sustenance, the achievement of power, the making of societal contributions.”

Tips on Creating an Adult Playground

People were born to play in different ways. So do what feels best and create your playground with these tips in mind:

  • The first step is making the decision to play.

  • Adult play can involve something new or an activity one enjoyed as a child in a more sophisticated way. For example, if you liked to dance around as a child, you might enjoy social dancing now.

  • Frequency matters more than duration. Play at least three times a week. You’ll get the benefits whether it’s for five minutes or two hours.

  • Healthy play doesn’t include gossip, cruel teasing, life-and-death struggles or other means of hurting people.

  • When involving more than one player, there must be an agreement to play.


For more information, contact:

Rebecca Sladek Nowlis
333 California Street
Suite 103
San Francisco, CA 94143-0462
Telephone (415) 476-2557
e-mail: rsnowlis@pubaff.ucsf.edu