Hobbies with benefits: Here is why you need them

Hobbies come with a host of physical, fitness and brain benefits. Pursue them for a happier and healthier life.

A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away, wrote famous American author for kids, Phyllis McGinley. Well, it can do so for sure. Even science backs this thought now. Every time you pick up a pen to jot down your thoughts in a diary or crack that crossword puzzle, your brain gets recharged and your stress and anxiety levels go down. Intellectual pursuits like reading and writing flex your brain muscles and increase their efficiency. A research published in the journal Neurology found that study participants who were into creative hobbies very frequently throughout the major part of their life had a 32 per cent slower rate of cognitive decline in their later life than those who pursued less of such activities. Psychological stimulation and activeness in the youth years was found to be closely associated with memory and retention capacity in the later years. Apart from cognitive benefits, hobbies come with a lot of physical and fitness benefits too. Here are pastimes that keep you happy and healthy.

Dancing

[caption id="attachment_661250" align="alignnone" width="655"] Regular dancing can boost your memory and decrease your risk of developing dementia. Shutterstock[/caption]

Dancing is a cardio workout that helps to increase flexibility and stamina while reducing stiffness, improving cardiovascular health, and strengthening bones and muscles. According to a 2011 Cochrane Review, dancing at least three times per week can improve body balance in the elderly population. Another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that regular dancing can boost your memory and decrease your risk of developing dementia when you get older. Also, you can lose weight, relieve your stress and reduce depression levels through dancing. This fun exercise is considered good for building self-confidence and improving social skills.

Crafting

[caption id="attachment_661251" align="alignnone" width="655"] Crafting can reduce your chances of developing cognitive impairment by 50 per cent. Shutterstock[/caption]

From boosting happiness to reducing stress, crafting has a plethora of health benefits. Unwinding with creativity brings you in a state of mind similar to meditation which has a calming effect in your entire body. Crafting is an endeavour that helps you realise what you are capable of. It improves self-esteem and creates a sense of purpose in life. A work of craft demands a lot of focus which improves your attention span. It can reduce your chances of developing cognitive impairment by 50 per cent, says a study published in The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.

Swimming

[caption id="attachment_661252" align="alignnone" width="655"] Swimming can significantly reduce pain in patients with multiple sclerosis. Shutterstock[/caption]

Swimming involves your entire body and is physically beneficial for you. It tones your muscles, builds strength and endurance. Swimming also improves the functions of cardiovascular system and lungs. According to a study published in the journal BioMedical Engineering Online, regular swimming controls your blood sugar and lowers blood pressure levels. For asthma patients, swimming in an indoor pool is considered as a great activity because of the humid environment it generally has. Another study published in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine states that swimming can significantly reduce pain in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Gardening

[caption id="attachment_661253" align="alignnone" width="655"] Gardening can alleviate symptoms of allergies, depression, psoriasis, and asthma. Shutterstock[/caption]

When you indulge in gardening, you expose yourself to vitamin D and healthy microbes in the soil. Vitamin D prevents you from the risks of osteoporosis and various cancers. A bacterium known as Mycobacterium vaccae found in soil (absorbed by inhalation), is known to alleviate symptoms of allergies, depression, psoriasis, and asthma. According to a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology, gardening for even 30 minutes lowers the levels of stress hormone, cortisol, in the body. Increased levels of this hormone are linked to decreased immunity, obesity, learning problems, and heart diseases. So, pursuing gardening as a hobby means reducing your risk of developing these conditions as well.

Writing

[caption id="attachment_661254" align="alignnone" width="655"] Penning down your thoughts and feelings can make physical wounds heal faster. Shutterstock[/caption]

Writing has been associated with a number of mental and physical health benefits like reduced stress levels, improvement in memory, and sleep. A research published in the journal The Oncologist had revealed that expressing thoughts through writing can help cancer patients come to terms with their illnesses and also help improve their quality of life. Another study conducted at the University of Auckland has revealed that penning down your thoughts and feelings can make physical wounds heal faster. Also, writing about positive experiences can boost your mood.

Playing with your pet

[caption id="attachment_661255" align="alignnone" width="655"] Animals are scientifically proven to have the ability to detect illness with a high level of accuracy. Shutterstock[/caption]

This is the favourite pastime of pet lovers. Spending time with pets increases the secretion of your bonding hormone oxytocin, and reduces the production of the stress-inducing hormone cortisol, alleviating anxiety and depression. Also, animals are scientifically proven to have the ability to detect illness with a high level of accuracy. Therefore, in case you have developed any health condition like breast cancer or lung cancer, they can detect it with 88 and 99 per cent accuracy respectively, reveals a growing body of research. Moreover, your furry friends have been found to help reduce your blood pressure levels and promote heart health. Nowadays, they are involved in clinical therapies as well. There is a new therapy, known as animal assisted therapy in which animals are trained to help patients to steer through various medical condition.

Singing or listening to music

[caption id="attachment_661256" align="alignnone" width="655"] Listening to music have positive effects on your mood and immune system. Shutterstock[/caption]

Music acts as a therapy and used as one as well by professionally trained experts. Listening to any song of your liking releases a chemical in your brain called dopamine. It has positive effects on your mood and immune system. This hobby can potentially reduce your stress, lower anxiety, and ease pain. Also, repetitively listening to a rhythm and melody helps brain form patterns that enhance memory. If we talk about singing, it has been shown to trigger the secretion of your cuddle hormone oxytocin, a stress and anxiety reducing agent. In fact, music can improve your cognitive capacities as well. It has been found in several studies that people who sing, generally have higher IQ levels than non-musicians. Singing is also known to decrease blood pressure due to its calming effect. The act of singing works on and strengthens your diaphragm, abdomen, and back muscles.