Published January 3, 2024
How Do Hobbies Help Mental Health?
Whether through involvement in extracurricular student groups, in-school enrichment opportunities, or classes such as art and shop, students can benefit greatly from learning skills that are applicable to hobbies at home – both now while they are in school and in their futures as adults.
Your professional role might include teaching these skills directly or encouraging students to participate in classes and clubs where they can learn hobby-related skills. Certainly health content can include information about the benefits to mental health that hobbies can provide.
In an article titled How Do Hobbies Help Mental Health? and published on April 27, 2023, *Mercy Health staff writers explain various ways in which hobbies contribute to mental wellness.
Hobbies identified by the authors include:
- Reading or writing
- Taking a class
- Playing a musical instrument
- Listening to music
- Knitting or quilting
- Meditating or practicing yoga
- Running, walking or playing sports
- Dancing or pursuing recreational activities
- Making art: painting, sculpture, or drawing
Benefits of engaging in hobbies identified by the authors include:
- Stress relief
- Avoidance of boredom and burnout
- Distraction from negative thoughts
- Relaxation and calming
- Opportunities to reset and recharge
- Promotion of creativity and self-expression
- Provides sense of accomplishment
- Boosts self-esteem
- If physical activity is involved, then benefits include
- Lower blood pressure
- Better sleep
- Better mood
- If group participation is involved, then benefits include
- Meeting new people
- Reducing loneliness
*Mercy Health is a company that provides a system of health care services and is located in the state of Kentucky.