Having a hobby is a great source of personal pleasure, but did you know it’s a key part of healthy ageing?
Whether you chose to take up a sport, join a club or learn a new skill, hobbies add to the richness of life and have physical and mental benefits. From pottery, golf, book clubs, pilates, yoga, church-based activities to archery, bushwalking or gardening, there’s a hobby out there for everyone.
Clinical psychologist, Alisa de Torres, shares some of the benefits for your body, mind and soul – for the long and the short-term:
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While most of the benefits are seemingly related to your mental health, it’s worth noting that anything that reduces stress has a positive benefit on your physical health as well. Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
- They’re pleasurable and provide distraction from some of the more mundane or difficult aspects of daily life, and may improve mood.
- Hobbies give us a chance to explore new ideas, activities and relationships which can make life feel more meaningful and satisfying. In other words, there are friends with common interests, scintillating conversation and new skills to share out there that you haven’t yet met – all you need to do is get involved in a new (and social) hobby.
- Taking up a sport may improve fitness and cardiovascular health to the degree the sport offers. Golf, for example, can involve a lot of walking if you forgo the buggy – and archery involves an unexpected amount of physical activity through walking back and forth from the target. Water sports generally offer a more high-octane, low-impact workout.
Hobbies fill time which might otherwise be spent engaging in less healthy past-times. If you are out and about, you’re not parked on the couch – and for some of us, this comes with a side dose of over-eating unhealthy snacks.
So how do you find a hobby?
You might have an activity you’ve enjoyed but never made enough time for, or perhaps there is something you’ve always meant to try but haven’t got around to it. You could ask around your circle of friends and try a few out until you find something that works for you. Shire offices, libraries and sports arenas are also good places to do a little research – or if you know what you are after, a good old-fashioned Google or search of the yellow pages can be a great start. Lots of activities have a state association that can refer you to local chapters.
What’s your hobby? How does it make your life more enjoyable?