+ More. Play is not trivial; it's a basic biological drive as critical to our health as sleep or food. That's the word from Stuart Brown, author of the new book Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul (Avery, $24.95). Here are 10 ways that play makes life better:hen we play, dilemmas and challenges naturally filter through the unconscious mind and work themselves out. Even a few hours spent doing something you love can make you new again. Playing at work is not just useful; it's essential. When the going gets tough, the tough go play.