How Hobbies Can Help You Live Longer

 By Donna Wright

Edited and approved by Stephen C. Rose, Ph.D.

A hobby will not, independently, add years to your life. It’s not that straight-forward. But hobbies can support several aspects of health closely tied to healthy aging, including stress regulation, physical activity, cognitive engagement, and social connection [1–6].

That’s meaningful because seldom is longevity constructed from a single factor. It is generally a function of many things such as how much you move, how stressed you feel, and how connected you are to other people. Also, whether your life includes activities that keep your mind and body engaged. A good hobby can touch several of those at once [1–3,5,6].

A hobby is just something you routinely do to enjoy your free time.  It could be gardening, painting, reading, hiking, knitting, playing music, bird-watching, etc. The particular activity doesn’t matter so much its more about the habit of doing it because you enjoy it, or it gives you are sense of purpose or connection.

Hobbies and Stress

One reason hobbies may support healthier aging is that enjoyable leisure time appears to be linked with better psychological and physical well-being. In one study, people who reported greater participation in enjoyable leisure activities also had lower total cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, smaller waist circumference, lower body mass index, and fewer depressive symptoms, although the study was observational and cannot establish causation [1].

That distinction matters. The evidence suggests that hobbies could slow aging by reducing chronic stress by giving you something to think about other than your worries[1].

Hobbies That Get You Moving

Hobbies that mobilize you in a physically enjoyable way like golf or hiking leave people feeling more inclined to repeat them consistently.

Among older adults, different forms of leisure-time physical activity have been associated with lower risks of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. In a large cohort study, activities such as walking for exercise, jogging, racquet sports, golf, swimming, and cycling were associated with lower mortality risk than no leisure-time activity, although the study was observational rather than randomized [2].

Hobbies and Brain Health

Hobbies that challenge the mind can also contribute to brain health. Reading, learning an instrument, writing, strategy games, etc, all require some mix of attention, memory, coordination, planning, and problem-solving. This doesn’t guarantee that a crossword puzzle is going to prevent dementia, but it likely shifts the odds in your favor a bit. Longitudinal evidence suggests that leisure activities are associated with better cognitive outcomes in older adults [3].

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis found that leisure activities were associated with better cognitive function in older adults, though the effects varied by activity type and cognitive status [3]. In other words, keeping mentally engaged appears to help, but the science does not support selling any single hobby as a guaranteed brain-preserving intervention.

Hobbies, Mood, and Meaning

There is also evidence that leisure engagement is associated with better emotional health. In older adults from the Health and Retirement Study, some forms of leisure engagement, including working on hobbies or projects and attending clubs, were associated with lower odds of depression over time [4]. That does not mean every hobby works the same way for every person, but it does suggest that staying engaged in enjoyable activities may support mood as people age [4].

Part of that benefit may come from momentum. A hobby gives structure to the day, a reason to practice, something to look forward to, and sometimes the small but satisfying feeling that you are still learning. That sounds almost trivial until you remember how much healthy aging depends on maintaining motivation, routine, and meaning.

The Social Side of Hobbies

Many hobbies have a social component - Book clubs, knitting groups, choirs,  all foster repeated contact with others. This can make a huge difference, especially late in life.

Loneliness and social isolation have been associated with higher mortality risk in older adults in large systematic reviews and meta-analyses [5]. Social connection is not a minor lifestyle accessory. It is part of health.

There is also evidence that certain forms of social participation are associated with greater life satisfaction among older adults. In one 2023 study, club activities were associated with a higher life satisfaction in adults aged 75 years and older [6]. A hobby group may not solve every problem, but it can offer routine, a sense of belonging, and the notion that your week contains something more than errands and appointments.

Which Hobbies Are Worth Considering?

The best hobby is not the one that sounds impressive. It is the one you will actually keep doing. Still, some broad categories are especially useful:

Physical hobbies that support movement and cardiovascular health:

·         Gardening

·         Nature walks

·         Hiking

·         Biking

·         Swimming

·         Golf

·         Dancing

·         Recreational sports

Mind-body hobbies that can help with stress and focus:

·         Meditation

·         Tai chi

·         Yoga

·         Bird-watching

·         Journaling

·         Quiet gardening

Creative hobbies that keep the mind engaged:

·         Painting

·         Drawing

·         Writing

·         Knitting or crocheting

·         Woodworking

·         Pottery

·         Playing a musical instrument

Mentally stimulating hobbies that challenge attention and memory:

·         Reading

·         Crosswords

·         Sudoku

·         Jigsaw puzzles

·         Card games

·         Board games

If you have a busy life, start smaller than you think you need to. A hobby does not have to take-up hours daily to be worthwhile. Twenty minutes of reading before bed, a weekend walk with a bird guide, one painting class a week, or a standing Sunday game night are all sufficient to break up the monotony.

What matters most is the joyful routine of it. You can’t let your hobbies degenerate into another quest for self-improvement - it has to be truly recreational.

So can hobbies help you live longer? They may help support the habits and conditions that make longer, healthier living more likely: more movement, less stress, stronger social ties, better mood, and an active mind [1–6]. That is not magic. It is simply a reminder that a healthier life is often built not just from discipline, but from delight.

References

[1] Pressman, S.D.; Matthews, K.A.; Cohen, S.; Martire, L.M.; Scheier, M.; Baum, A.; Schulz, R. Association of enjoyable leisure activities with psychological and physical well-being. Psychosom. Med. 2009, 71, 725–732. 

[2] Watts, E.L.; Matthews, C.E.; Freeman, J.R.; Gorzelitz, J.S.; Hong, H.G.; Liao, L.M.; McClain, K.M.; Saint-Maurice, P.F.; Shiroma, E.J.; Moore, S.C. Association of leisure time physical activity types and risks of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality among older adults. JAMA Netw. Open 2022, 5, e2228510. 

[3] Yang, X.; Xu, X.Y.; Guo, L.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, S.S.; Li, Y. Effect of leisure activities on cognitive aging in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front. Psychol. 2022, 13, 1080740.

[4] Bone, J.K.; Bu, F.; Fluharty, M.E.; Paul, E.; Sonke, J.K.; Fancourt, D. Engagement in leisure activities and depression in older adults in the United States: Longitudinal evidence from the Health and Retirement Study. Soc. Sci. Med. 2022, 294, 114703. 

[5] Wang, F.; Gao, Y.; Han, Z.; Yu, Y.; Long, Z.; Jiang, X.; Wu, Y.; Pei, B.; Cao, Y.; Ye, J.; et al.A systematic review and meta-analysis of 90 cohort studies of social isolation, loneliness and mortality. Nat. Hum. Behav. 2023, 7, 1307–1319.

[6] Park, J.-H.; Kang, S.-W. Social interaction and life satisfaction among older adults by age group. Healthcare 2023, 11, 2951.