Have you been encouraged to play more by your medical providers recently?

Most likely, the answer is “no.”

However, as a family medicine physician myself, I have begun to see the importance of play for many aspects of our health.

When scholars define playfulness, curiosity, spontaneity, and the freedom to suspend reality are some of the ways it is described.

I might ask right here for you to consider how those elements are important to you and your health.

In a moment when many Americans feel a deep sense of uncertainty, play may be particularly important as an antidote. Ironically, it helps to ground us in the same moment that it asks us to let go and be willing to twirl and become dizzy, as we once did on the playground.

Play has been defined in many ways, both as a noun and a verb. It stems from Old English plegian (“to exercise”), plega (brisk movement), and is related to Middle Dutch pleien (leap for joy, dance). The National Institute for Play defines play as “a state of mind that one has when absorbed in an activity that provides enjoyment and a suspension of sense of time.”

Unfortunately, as we grow out of childhood, play becomes less encouraged and is actually discouraged. “Don’t act like a child,” for instance, is something we may be told as we make funny faces at a mirror or at a fancy restaurant. But it turns out that play is great for our health as adults—something that we should continue doing throughout our lifetime.

For instance, when adults play, their mood is lifted, they feel a sense of belonging, and they show reductions in their stress levels. In a society where a large portion of the population meets criteria for loneliness, play serves as a natural way to connect people. There have also been studies showing improved cardiovascular health in those adults who play.

Keep playing.

In the ways that you currently play, keep it up. And possibly add some play elements to these activities. For instance, when playing sports, we can choose to make it more about the play itself or the competition. Both are fine, but there may be some days when not keeping score and focusing on the play itself is most important.

Find new ways to play.

This involves the element of uncertainty, something that children model well for us as they try new movements and games. Pick something that is out of your normal range of activities, and go for it!

Let play back into your life.

For some, this is an important first step. I will ask patients who tell me that they have forgotten how to play to conjure memories of playing as a child. Connecting with those memories, along with reflecting on why we have stopped playing, are good places to start.

Set play goals.

Taking all three of the above into account, make some play goals as part of your larger health and wellness goals for the months ahead. Make them fun, silly, and whatever you want them to be!

Anthony Fleg is a family physician who blogs at Writing to Heal.