5 Science-backed hobbies that are good for your mental health
Feeling stressed? Research has found that having a hobby is great for your happiness.
Don't underestimate the power of a great hobby.
Scientists have found many benefits to having a hobby, and not just because they help you pass the time more productively than endless scrolling on TikTok.
Here's how hobbies can help your mental health.
Dancing like nobody's watching
William Shakespeare was on to something when he declared, 'If music be the food of love, play on.' There's no better way to enjoy music than dancing in your living room like no one is watching or with friends on a night out.
Dancing releases those "feel-good" chemicals that make us feel happy.
According to the University of Sydney, "dancing may be better than other exercise for improving mental health".
Research finds that undertaking structured dance of any genre is generally equal and occasionally more effective than other types of physical activity interventions for improving a range of psychological and cognitive outcomes.
Harvard Health also shared the benefits of dancing for mental health, noting that "studies show that dance helps reduce stress, increases levels of the feel-good hormone serotonin, and helps develop new neural connections, especially in regions involved in executive function, long-term memory, and spatial recognition.
'Grandma hobbies' that give you a boost
There's a reason why your grandmother looks so peaceful and calm while knitting your next Christmas or birthday present.
So-called grandma hobbies such as knitting, crocheting, embroidery, baking or slow walks around the block are good for the brain.
"Setting personal goals to work towards in any area of life, including cozy hobbies, provides purpose to our pleasures. Whether you're learning a new craft or challenging yourself to with a new pattern, working towards goals and feeling accomplished boosts self-esteem, positive emotions and overall wellbeing," reserach psychologist Emma Palmer-Cooper told Good Housekeeping.
Reading fiction books is the best escape
These days, people do more doomscrolling than reading. Reading not only boosts your brain function, but it also reduces stress.
It's a form of escape from the "real world" that helps you temporarily forget your worries.
"Reading helps you expand your own imaginative world. As you read, your occipital lobe is activated, the area of your brain responsible for processing visual information," a post on Medium reads.
"This is particularly effective while reading fiction, as imagining the worlds and characters an author describes helps you visualise what you’re reading. You’re taking an abstract concept and making it real in your mind."
Gardening and chatting to your plants
A lot of people struggle to keep their houseplants alive, but taking care of plants is a good way to manage your stress.
According to Psychology Today, gardening helps exercise your body and brain while also calming your mind.
"Most gardeners seem to be calm and content people and now research tells us why: There is a bacterium in a soil called Mycobacterium vaccae that has anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties that could protect against stress and anxiety."
Some people talk to their plants to help them grow!
Creative hobbies help reduce stress
Doctors have used art therapy to help people dealing with anxiety and trauma. Some have even used it to help them deal with burnout.
There is something therapeutic about painting a picture or colouring in a book.
“In art therapy, clients use visual expression such as drawing, painting, collage, or other materials to better understand their thoughts, emotions, and experiences,” therapist Attiya Awadallah told Psychology Today.
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