Why hobbies are good for you

A large body of research suggests that how you spend leisure time matters to your health, and that your hobbies are good for you in many ways. In 2010, a team of researchers from universities in Kansas, Pittsburgh and Texas published the results of four large studies with a total of 1,399 participants. The researchers developed a scale called the Pittsburgh Enjoyable Activities Test to measure the effect of hobbies and leisure pursuits on overall health. Here’s what they found.

Better physical health 

People who scored higher on the enjoyable activities test had lower body mass index, smaller waists, lower blood pressure, lower stress hormones, better sleep, and better overall physical function. Other research also shows that having hobbies is associated with a variety of benefits, including less severe disease and greater longevity.

Lower stress

A large body of research shows that leisure activities can help reduce stress. The Pittsburgh study showed that people who took part in a lot of enjoyable activities dealt better with stressful life events.

Happiness

People who said they participated often in enjoyable activities also had greater life satisfaction and felt their lives had a greater sense of purpose and meaning.

More friends

Notably, spending more time on hobbies and leisure pursuits was associated with having a larger and more diverse social network. And we know that a strong social network is a key factor in healthy aging.

And there’s one additional benefit to having a hobby that may surprise you: A study at San Francisco State University found that employees who had creative outlets outside of the office were better at creative problem-solving on the job.

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