Hobbies help your mental health

Many, many years ago, I learned that hobbies help your mental health. Of course, I didn't discover that benefit myself. I simply found out what millions of people had known for hundreds of years.

For single people, this is revolutionary. A simple leisure activity can calm you and at the same time give you a real sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

Some of us singles have minds that race like a hamster on an exercise wheel. Your mind runs like mad but doesn't get anywhere. Before you know it, you're exhausted, for no good reason.

A carefully chosen hobby can act as an antidote to a fidgety mind. This investment in time pays big dividends in happiness. Let's see how.

Science says hobbies help your mental health

Don't just take my word for it. The big-brained scientists agree. A hobby can help you physically relax.

When you feel stress, your body automatically reacts defensively, releasing adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol affects your "fight-or-flight" response, a tactic that came in handy during caveman days when people were threatened by saber-tooth tigers but isn't so helpful when you're trying to make a deadline at work.

The Mayo Clinic says chronic high cortisol levels can put you at risk of

Anxiety.
Depression.
Digestive problems.
Headaches.
Muscle tension and pain.
Heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke.
Sleep problems.
Weight gain.
Problems with memory and focus.

Sound familiar? What single person hasn't been affected by those conditions?

The good news is a hobby can help counteract stress hormones.

According to the nonprofit organization Mental Health America, hobbies are good for mental health because they can:

"Activate the parts of the brain that help us process emotions
Create small wins and a sense of progress
Help you bring your attention to the present
Create meaning and identity
Help build connections
Support other healthy routines like movement and time outside."

In short, hobbies help your mental health—and your physical health. Win-win!

Acquiring the hobby mindset

Let's talk about what a hobby is and what it is not. A hobby can be competitive, like sports—where a score is kept—but most of the time you'll relax more if you're not struggling to outdo someone else.

Posting on social media can be a hobby—until it gets competitive or combative. Remember: The goal is to reduce stress, not increase it.

Doomscrolling is not a hobby. It's a time-waster and stress inducer. Anything that aggravates your nerves is not a worthwhile leisure activity.

If you're a Type A personality, that is, someone whose metabolism is constantly on overdrive, you may find a hobby frustrating or boring. Keep in mind a hobby is supposed to slow you down. Only by shifting gears into a less tense mode can you lower your stress hormones.

Your hobby should not feel like punishment. It should be something you look forward to. It's a gift to yourself to grow your sense of well-being. A positive hobby will add to your self-esteem, making you a more attractive person.

You may have to try several activities before you find one you're genuinely enthusiastic about. You're unique. Don't copy a friend or relative's hobby. Find one that appeals to you. If you fail at a couple things, don't get discouraged. Those are just stepping stones in the learning process.

Dangerous hobbies

Some hobbies can actually be dangerous. People don't usually classify such activities as hobbies, but they can lead you down a perilous path.

Take gambling. In Illinois, USA, where I live, there are state-licensed slot machines everywhere. Throughout the country, online sports betting has become a pandemic. AARP estimates 1 out of 5 people in the United States has an online betting account. Gambling can devour your money as fast as a drug habit.

Speaking of drugs, even though marijuana has been legalized in many places, using it is a bad choice in leisure pursuits. Getting stoned or drunk from alcohol is something God does not approve of. Why would you pursue a self-destructive hobby?

Hobbies help your mental health, but activities like looking at pornography, gossiping, and online bullying are not hobbies or harmless. They're sins. They hurt others and they hurt you.

Another dangerous but common hobby is shopping. Millions of women (and men) do it, but buying things you can live without on a credit card is a sure way to drown yourself in debt. Please don't go into debt with any hobby.

One of the goals of this web site is to lead you from self-destructive thoughts and behavior to constructive behavior. A carefully chosen hobby can do that.

Your hobby becomes dangerous when it turns into an all-consuming obsession. At that point it changes into an idol, a false god that replaces the True God in your life. We've all seen that happen to others, but it can be hard to recognize in yourself.

The right choice is everything

It's indisputable: Hobbies help your mental health. A smart choice of hobby can bring you a lifetime of satisfaction. It's beyond the scope of this article to cover all the fields you can pursue, but there's a satisfying pastime for every personality, from reading to crafts to collecting to sports to travel.

Physically demanding hobbies, like running, sports, and bike racing have limits. You probably won't be playing basketball at 85. However, sewing, needlepoint, collecting things, photography or scrapbooking are hobbies you can enjoy even when your body slows down.

Thanks to the Internet, you can research anything, buy supplies for your hobby, or hunt down collectibles online. eBay is the biggest flea market in the world.

Make sure your hobby is affordable for you. Pick something that will captivate you for the long haul. Contact other people and see how they enjoy the activity. Keep trying if you don't make the right choice the first or 10th time, and persevere.

As a confirmed hobbyist myself, I can guarantee that when you connect with the right interest, you'll open a whole new world of fun and adventure.