Can Hobbies Improve Mental Health?

Everyone has hobbies. Even adults do. Hobbies are those little things that we enjoy doing outside of our work life and our other priorities in life. It is simply just us and the hobby that we love, and escaping into that little world just for a little bit every day. It helps us feel like we have an outlet to express our feelings and emotions, but we are also having fun doing it.

Harvard Health magazine even mentions a study conducted by Natural Medicine in 2023 that observed this phenomenon. Across 16 countries, there were similar patterns:

"Compared with people who didn't have hobbies, those who did reported better health, more happiness, fewer symptoms of depression, and higher life satisfaction" (Godman 2023).

Although this is simply observation, it tells us a whole lot about how hobbies can help us in the long run. As such, I think it's important to understand that what you do in your free time and what you do for fun has a huge impact on your overall mental well being. We need that down time in order to process our day, to unwind, and to keep ourselves sharp. Simply put, to me, hobbies are one of the things that make life worth living, so why not start working on that hobby you've always wanted to try right now?

Do What You Love and Don't Give Up

It seems like a pretty simple and obvious concept, right? But for some of us, it is anything but simple. The ups and downs of this thing called life make it more difficult to stick to hobbies, or to continue them, especially if we have a lot of other things we are trying to handle at the same time.

Sometimes our mental health does a really good job of preventing us from healing by keeping us down. When you are so down and so depressed that you don't want to get out of bed, you are simply not going to want to pick up that guitar or that paintbrush or whatever it is. You lost interest in those things, the depression becomes an all powerful black cloud that enshrouds you. You find yourself crying in bed because you want to do something to make you feel better, but you just don't feel anything you do will be good enough right now. You spend a large amount of time criticizing yourself and why you shouldn't do something instead of trying it out and seeing where it takes you.

Mental health recovery is so important, and it's definitely a trial and error process for healing, but you have to remember your strengths and keep moving forward. Hobbies really tend to help with that. So, even if you feel like you are in a very dark place and that nothing can pull you out of this funk you're in, remember that there are ways and that you do have coping skills. Hobbies are one of those coping skills, and it's something a lot of people use to help ease the stresses of everyday life.

Don't Make Your Hobbies Work (Unless your job is your hobby)

Unless you want to make your hobbies a potential career, which many people do and that's great, don't pressure yourself and don't try to schedule or put a time stamp on your hobbies. From personal experience, I've found that when I do that, and I make it seem more like work and this looming pressure or deadline, it makes it difficult for me to continue the hobby at all. However, even this moment of small clarity tells me a lot about myself and the kind of person I am. Patience is something I need to work on.

There are lots of people who are actually very lucky to have a career that is their hobby and passion. If you are one of those lucky SOBs, I envy you. A lot of people probably do, to be honest. That's not important though. What is important, is how you choose to spend your time as a person. Part of that time should always be spent doing the things that you love, because that is what life is all about; love, and happiness.

Identify Your Top Five:

Everyone will have different hobbies because everyone has unique tastes and interests, the uniqueness of the experience is part of what makes it so wonderful. Think about the five things that you like to do in your free time and write them down somewhere. Keep the list to remember what things you can do to self-soothe and/or relieve stress.

For me personally, these are the five hobbies that I love because I know doing any one of them will instantly lift my mood:

1. Singing: Singing is my top favorite hobby. It's something I've been doing since I was just a kid. Music has always been one of my favorite things in the world. I started singing in school when I was in middle school, and from there I developed a passion and a love for it. Whatever you plan on doing, you should make sure it's something that you feel just as passionate about.

2. Playing drums: I started playing drums when I was 26 years old. This is one of those hobbies that I haven't had my whole life, but when I started learning how to drum, I realized that it was such a therapeutic outlet for me, and I am actually pretty good at drumming. Unfortunately, I have had to sell my drum kit, so I no longer have any way to practice atm, but that's okay. I always remember as I keep pushing forward that one day, I'll have my kit again and be able to play my drums!

3. Writing: Writing has stuck with me my whole life as well. I've always been super creative, always thinking up the most strange but imaginative things. Writing also helps me release my emotions. When I'm having a bad day, I can journal about it and let everything out. There is something very satisfying about letting it out, and it helps you process and deal with emotions you might not already have been working on, or might not be able to handle just yet.

4. Dancing: Dancing has always been fun for me. I'm 35 now, and Tiktok has actually inspired me to do more dancing again. Additionally, I've lost 60 pounds since I started. The many health benefits, plus the fact that I am doing something that brings me so much joy, make it all worth it for me.

5. Making art (collages or paintings): Much like writing, art for me is a way to express my deepest and innermost thoughts, which can help me cope with anything I'm struggling with, and also reflect on where I am in the current moment. I am a very visual person, so I tend to gravitate towards making visual art that is appealing but also meaningful.

You may not have the same hobbies as me, and that's fine. Other hobbies to consider are, walking, hiking, swimming, coloring, gardening, etc. etc. You know what you like, and if you don't, it's time to start getting to know yourself better! Make a list of some of the things you're good at, and some of the things that make you the most happy. Think about which ones you love the most and just start doing anything! Those are YOUR five hobbies. It's totally up to you how you use this to help you in the long run; it sounds pretty obvious, but sometimes we aren't even thinking clearly enough to identify anything about ourselves! Always remember to be patient with yourself and trust the process.

Why These Are Great Coping Strategies

Have you ever heard of the term "coping skills" or "coping strategies"? Hobbies are one type of coping strategy out of tons of others that help people every single day with their mental health. Hobbies are an easy go to coping skill because you can do this anytime, anywhere. The more you lean into your hobbies and use them to help you cope with or express the strong and intense emotions you may be feeling, the more content you will be, and the more progress you will make personally.

In my book, it's nothing but a win-win situation. You heal, you relax, you do something you enjoy, and you start to reflect and be at peace with the person you are and with what is happening right now. Even if you are in crisis mode, hobbies help you calm down. This is also another strength that hobbies can bring to your life. As you decide what hobbies you will take interest in, remember, you can do anything you want to do, be anything you want to be, and, most importantly, you have the inner strength to accomplish anything if you believe in the power of using healthy coping skills in your everyday life!

Reference:

Godman, Heidi. “Having a Hobby Tied to Happiness and Well-Being.” Harvard Health, 1 Jan. 2024, www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/having-a-hobby-tied-to-happiness-and-well-being.

A 2023 study of 93,000 people ages 65 or older found that those who said they had hobbies reported having better health, more happiness, fewer depression symptoms, and higher life satisfaction, compared with those who said they didn't have hobbies.