7 hobbies with health benefits

Time to speak about the health benefits we get just doing what we love. Hobbies enrich our personal lives by providing fulfilling use of our free time. Whether you feel stressed or bored, some activities can improve your overall wellness.

To put it simply, there might be more than just getting some fun from a hobby. 

Studies show that physical hobbies have physiological benefits. Among them are:

• increase heart rate and brain function,
• lower blood pressure, 
• weight loss, 
• building muscle, 
• strengthening bones and muscles, 
• an overall increase in energy.

A hobby also has a unique ability to:

• take your mind off the stresses of daily life,
• make you feel happier and more relaxed,
• give you a different perspective,
• make you smarter,
• improve quality of life,
• boosting creativity.

Take a look at the seven listed hobbies to enable you to give a health boost.

1. Dancing

Dance, dance, dance… No equipment is needed, just your feet to move. Turn on the music and push yourself with friends or alone. And anyone can dance, right?

Give salsa or bachata a try! Aside from burning calories, dancing is an easy and accessible way of exercising. For most people, it’s not only a wonderful exercise but also a fun activity. 

As a social activity, dancing is an excellent, pain-free, and energizing cardio workout that improves your cognitive flexibility, cardiovascular health, reduces stress, and increases stamina.

Keeping active socially is important for general well-being. 

2. Gardening

There are many perks of gardening. Firstly, the unmeasurable pleasure you get by taking care of your flowers and plants. It’s both a mood and strength booster and considered reducing heart attack, stroke, and dementia. And lastly, you get healthy microbes of soil and vitamin D by just having your hands dirty while gardening.

3. Playing and listening to music 

Music is medicine! No matter you are playing an instrument or just listening to music you get an unlimited portion of energy and happiness. For the people of any age, gender, and nation, music is a healing and one-of-a-kind pleasure. Not only music is a powerful means of communication for human beings but also a powerful tool for a healthy body. It has many health benefits, including decreasing anxiety and depression, boosting brain function, evaluating mood, improving visual and verbal skills, etc.

4. Owning a pet

Can owning a pet be healthy? In a word, yes. Just ask those who share lives with companion animals. If you are a bit down in the dumps, animals will pick you up by bringing immediate joy and comfort. Pets have been shown to reduce anxiety and blood pressure levels, helping to keep active. All in all, they improve well being on both a physical and mental level. 

5. Writing

Sometimes just a listening ear helps a lot. But if you are an introvert or aren’t ready to speak to others about what’s going on in your inner world, prefer pen and paper or just a laptop. Writing for leisure helps you process thoughts and emotions as an outlet for self-expression.

Several studies link writing to several mental and physical health benefits such as 

• improving memory, 
• decreasing anxiety and depression,
• withstanding stress, 
• having a night of better sleep,
• boosting immunity.

Mostly, writing for the public as journaling or blogging builds communities around your overall interests.

6. Hiking

Are you a fan of nature? If your answer is yes, then it’s worth trying hiking. Imagine a peaceful walk in the forest with the sounds of nature. 

Sounds incredible, right? Hiking is a heart-pounding cardio workout. As well as forest-bathing and nature therapy, it can improve an individual’s mental and physical health. Among the benefits are creative thinking and problem-solving, keeping the heart-healthy, boosting bone density, reducing blood pressure, and stress.

7. Traveling

 “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – O.W.Holmes

Great words to live by. What can be more exciting than exploring a new place? Whether it is a new country, city, or an interesting spot near your hometown, it can be sincerely satisfying for some of us.

At any stage in your life, make sure that traveling can enrich your worldview and your health. Some little happy moments such as planning a trip, packing a luggage bag, or listening to the sound of landing airplanes can be indescribable for travel lovers.

Meeting new people, learning, growing, exploring new cultures, keeping active, promoting self-discovery, shifting perspective. Lifeline for most of us!

But, beyond the above-mentioned hobbies, there are other activities beneficial to your health. For example, walking, practicing yoga, learning a new language, volunteering, etc.

What are some of your favorite healthy hobbies? Let us know in the comments below!