Mental Health Awareness Week: Hobbies
It’s Day 5 of Mental Health Awareness Week and this time we’re focusing on the benefits of hobbies. Whether it’s baking buns, making models, painting landscapes or anything else that keeps you busy, even the simplest hobbies bring multiple advantages, especially when it comes to your mental wellbeing.
Relieves stress and sadness
Simple yet very powerful, taking part in a hobby on a regular basis is an excellent way to alleviate stress, anxiety and depression. The more you enjoy it, the greater the effect will be on your mood.
Breaks up the day
Putting aside some time for your hobby can break up the day nicely, preventing you from becoming bored or spending too much time watching TV and scrolling on your phone. In turn, this helps to keep your energy levels up during the daytime.
Presents a challenge
No matter how amazing you are at your hobby, there’s always room for improvement and the opportunity to learn something new. The more advanced you are, the more experimental and creative you become, which can lead to wonderful results.
Improves memory and patience
Every type of hobby requires a good memory, otherwise you’ll forever be a beginner. In order to improve, you also need to be patient and invest time into the development of your skills. Memory, concentration and endurance are very good qualities in every aspect of life, so having a hobby helps you to grow into a better version of yourself.
Promotes good stress
This may sound contradictory to the first point, but there’s actually a thing called good stress. The official term is eustress, which is the kind of stress created during an enjoyable activity that leads to other positive emotions, such as excitement, hope and fulfilment. Think about how you feel when you’re doing some DIY, knitting a jumper or building a model – rather than just being relaxing, it can also result in a nice bit of invigorating eustress.
Enhances self-esteem
As you improve in your hobby, you’ll also feel more confident in experimenting and talking about it with friends and family. Whether this is posting pictures on social media, writing a blog about it or giving homemade gifts to friends, sharing your hobby with the world is a very effective method of increasing your self-esteem.
Encourages mindfulness
Maybe you listen to the radio whilst spending time on your hobby, but chances are there are no other distractions. This focus and dedication allows you to become more mindful and increase your ability to focus on the present moment, which can be very calming and empowering.
Promotes a better night’s sleep
Even if your hobby doesn’t consist of much physical exertion, it will definitely require mental effort. This will give rise to a healthier sleep cycle, meaning that you can wake up bright and early and spend more time on your hobby!
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Don’t forget that our chosen charity for this year is Mind, which offers help and support to anyone struggling with their mental health. If you’d like to make a donation, please visit out JustGiving page,
