Calm Hobbies Have Beneficial Health Effects, Study Suggests

A study showed that performing calm and collected hobbies can lead to several health benefits. While it is understood that exercising can lessen stress, recent studies suggested that doing simple things like painting and sewing can improve health too.

The research, which was led by by Matthew Zawadzki, an assistant professor of psychology in the University of California, Merced, investigated how the body responds during leisure time, or when an individual is in a state of doing something during his/ her free time. The study involved 115 multiracial individuals aged 20-80, who were attached with electrodes on their chests. This enabled the research team to measure the heart rate of the participants throughout the course of the experiment. The study subjects were monitored for three consecutive days, and were asked to answer survey questions at unspecified times during the entire day. Questions like what they were doing and how they felt about it were asked during the survey.

It was found that virtually, the participants experienced decreased stress as manifested by low heart rate when performing what they consider as “leisure” activities. Examples of leisure activities include exercising and socialising, but for this study, majority of the participants had very stationery hobbies, which they considered leisure; these include solving puzzles, listening to music, watching television or movies, and sewing. Statistical data showed that 34 percent of the participants reported reduced stress, 18 percent reported decreased sadness and an average of 3 percent showed a drop in heart rate.

The beneficial effects of leisure time extended past the duration of the experiment. The focus was on the short-term effects, but according to Zawadzki, a significant positive aftermath was noted following the experiment, and hence stated that if the good effects of leisure can be carried on day after day, year after year, or time after time, then a massive long-term improvement in health may be expected.

Stress causes an individual’s heart rate, blood pressure and hormones to be overworked. With this, Zawadzki said that preventing this overworked state can lessen the load buildup. This research implied that when one is totally engaged and in love with what they are doing, the person won’t have time to complain and feel stressed. Similarly, boredom -- which is also dangerous -- will not strike in, Zawadzki says.

A phenomenon called “boredom eating” exists, Zawadzki explains; this pertains to binging on junk food as a form of distraction during the state of boredom. Furthermore, people are said to resort to hours of continuous television-watching than actively doing something. Smoking, drinking and taking drugs are also associated with boredom.

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