How Hobbies Can Help You Live Longer

by: Donna Wright 

When you consider the many hobbies that you performed throughout the years, you may have thought you were just having fun in your spare time. 

But did you know that hobbies can actually help you live longer? I’m not saying that your pottery class will save your life, but hobbies that coincide with a healthy lifestyle can have physical, mental, and social benefits that could improve your longevity. 

You see, hobbies combined with exercise and proper nutrition helps create a sound foundation for a long and healthy life. 

What is a Hobby? 

So, what’s a hobby? It’s an activity that is performed frequently for enjoyment. It brings you so much joy that you continue to engage in the activity for during your leisure time. Hobbies can fall into many categories including creative, musical, athletic, visual arts, intellectual, and so much more! 

Any activity you do for pleasure in your non-working time can be considered a hobby. And the more hobbies you have, the greater the health, cognitive, and social benefits you could reap. 

The Science Behind the Health Benefits of Hobbies 

Managing stress isn’t just about feeling better. It’s about living longer and healthier. You see, stress has a direct impact on health and longevity. 

Here’s why: 

When you’re stressed out, your body releases the human stress hormone, cortisol. Excessive levels of cortisol can harm the body in many ways, resulting in damaged cells, inflammation, and other issues. High cortisol levels basically speed up cellular aging adversely affecting longevity. The good news is that stress-induced aging can be reversed by reducing stress and adopting healthy habits.  

So, how can hobbies help your health and longevity? 

When you’re performing a hobby that you enjoy, you typically can feel your stress level reducing and your mood elevating. That’s because a hobby engrosses you in the activity and you’re basically “in the zone.” From a scientific standpoint, hobbies lower cortisol levels while at the same time boosting dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and happiness. The combination of reduced stress and a better mood is the ideal environment for healthy aging and longevity. 

In addition, if hobbies help to reduce cortisol levels, thereby benefiting blood pressure and heart function, you’re also lessening the risk of cardiovascular disease. Consider the benefits of a hobby that involves physical activity and movement to improve heart health while promoting weight loss and a healthier BMI (body mass index). Remember, cardiovascular health, physical fitness, and weight have a direct impact on longevity. 

According to UCLA Health, hobbies combined with healthy nutrition and regular exercise can also support the biological processes of your endocrine, immune, and central nervous systems, thereby lowering your risk for health issues such as some types of cancer and cognitive issues. Keeping the brain healthy is an important aspect of aging and longevity.   

Performing a hobby triggers the release of hormones, enabling the body and mind to repair and improve.  

Hobbies Promote Mental Health 

Hobbies play a significant role in managing stress-induced anxiety. Some hobbies provide relaxation while activating the senses, stimulating the brain, and promoting happiness thereby reducing depression. That’s because when you perform a hobby, you typically feel good and happy because hobbies block out negative thoughts. By blocking out negative thoughts and instigating the release of good hormones like Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin, and Endorphins. And the beneficial hormones promote improved mental and physical health.  

There are also cognitive benefits from doing hobbies. They stimulate the brain and neural connections while promoting the growth of new brain cells. A heightened level of brain activity is extremely important to improve memory and problem-solving skills to potentially lower the risk of cognitive issues like dementia and Alzheimer’s  disease. According to a study published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, even those with mild cognitive impairment can still pick up a hobby and reap some benefits.  

Engaging in hobbies has been shown to improve overall happiness, life satisfaction, and the feeling that life is meaningful. Part of mental health and longevity pertains to a person’s outlook on life. Optimism is an important component of longevity, so hobbies can fuel that optimistic mindset. A hobby has a contagious way to foster the desire to immerse yourself in it and ignite your passion and joy. 

Hobbies Improve Social Health and Relationships 

While there are many hobbies that are solo activities, there are many that promote interaction with others. Those social connections in group settings ease social issues like loneliness and isolation. Loneliness for a long period of time is unhealthy and could lead to poor physical, mental, and cognitive health. Hobbies can help overcome loneliness and thereby improve longevity. 

Hobbies that require spending time with like-minded people can form much-needed strong bonds. A shared passion for the hobby allows the hobbyists to feel connected, like being part of a team. Doing activities in groups helps enhance communication skills and build healthy relationships with others. 

Relatable story: My Aunt Sue was leading a sedentary, loner type of lifestyle at 72 years old. She had no social life and her cardiovascular health was not great. Her physician recommended that she add at least one hobby outside of her house each week. Reluctantly, she joined a knitting club. Well that first club led to her making friends and joining a card club, a Bible study class, and a “lunch bunch.” There is no doubt that her social interactions and new relationships boosted her “serotonin” and “endorphins” hormones. Aunt Sue’s blood pressure decreased, and it didn’t take a health report to see that she had a renewed interest in life and longevity. 

Types of Hobbies and Their Benefits 

Now that we've explored the connection between hobbies and longevity, let's discuss specific hobbies that can play a role in boosting both physical and mental health, with a meaningful impact on overall well-being. 

There are endless hobbies that fall into a variety of categories including physical activities, creative projects, and audio-visual entertainment. A hobby can be as simple as watching television or reading a book, any interest that demands attention and brings joy into your life. Your mind remains focused and absorbed in the task. Let’s delve into some hobbies that along with a healthy lifestyle can help boost longevity. 

Physical hobbies provide benefits to physical/cardiovascular health and mental stimulation: 

:: Gardening 
:: Nature Walks 
:: Hiking 
:: Biking 
:: Running 
:: Swimming 
:: Golf 
:: Team Sports 

Mindfulness hobbies help you focus, reduce stress, relax, and sleep better: 

:: Meditation 
:: Tai Chi 
:: Yoga 
:: Spirituality/Bible study 
:: Bird watching 

Creative/crafting hobbies promote relaxation and accomplishment: 

:: Painting 
:: Drawing 
:: Writing 
:: Knitting/Crocheting 
:: Sculpting 
:: Jewelry Making 
:: Woodworking 
:: Pottery 

Audio-visual hobbies help stimulate the brain, reduce anxiety, and relax: 

:: Reading 
:: Listening to music 
:: Playing a musical instrument 
:: Watching movies and theater shows 
:: Video games 
:: Listening to podcasts 

Collection hobbies fosters fulfillment, problem solving, and achievement: 

:: Coin collecting 
:: Figurine collecting 
:: Rock/crystal collecting 
:: Stamp collecting 

Mind teaser hobbies help improve focus, memory, and concentration: 

:: Crosswords 
:: Sudoku 
:: Word find puzzles 
:: Jigsaw Puzzles 
:: Card games 
:: Board games 

Improved Longevity is Worth Making Time for Hobbies 

Many people use a lack of time as an excuse for not doing hobbies. However, hobbies don’t have to be a formal, time-consuming activity nor performed every single day. You can simply set aside a few hours each week to reap the benefits. You can also begin doing a hobby slowly to ensure that the activity makes you happy and stress free, while contributing to a healthier, more fulfilling life. 

Here are some hobbies to consider if you have a busy life: 

:: Listening to music 
:: Reading 
:: Watching television 
:: Writing in a journal 
:: Painting or drawing 
:: Meditating 
:: Crossword puzzles 
:: Walking 

Whatever hobby that you enjoy should fit seamlessly in your routine. It would defeat the purpose to stress yourself out trying to squeeze in hobby time. 

Warning: Hobbies are Good For Your Health But Can Be Addicting 

The best evidence that hobbies are beneficial to your health and longevity is the fact that once you start a hobby, your “happy hormones” kick in and you won’t want to stop getting your hobby on. 

The fact that hobbies can enhance brain function by stimulating the brain’s areas connected to memory, problem solving skills, and emotions reinforce the importance of hobbies helping to keep your mind sharp as you age. If you have a hobby that you do alone, try to develop a hobby that you can do in a group to enhance your socialization, relationships, and communication.