Stress affects all of us. No matter who you are or what type of lifestyle you lead, you experience stress. We all need healthy ways to decompress and let go of the stress in our lives. Keep reading to learn about some hands-on hobbies that can help you reduce stress.
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Get Physical: Exercise and Gardening
Exercising and gardening are two hobbies that require you to use your entire body, and they offer some great stress reduction as a result. Full-body exercise, whether it’s lifting weights or taking a dance class, releases endorphins in your brain. Increasing happiness levels means you’re decreasing your stress levels. Knowing that you’re taking care of your physical health may also help improve your mental health.
Gardening is completely different from exercise, but it still involves your whole body as you kneel in the dirt and work with your hands. Working so intimately with nature and routinely stepping outside helps regulate your mind and reduce stress.
Get Creative: Knitting and Painting
For those who don’t want to exercise or who can’t keep up with a garden, knitting and painting are two fantastic alternatives. In addition to knitting, there are other retro stitching hobbies that are making a comeback and can improve mental health. The repetitive motions of these crafts are calming and can help you ground yourself after a tough day.
Expressing yourself through painting can also help you relax. Any outlet that allows you to safely process your emotions can help, but painting allows you to create something new in the process. The repetitive brush strokes can also help you get out any extra energy.
Get Thoughtful: Puzzles and Writing
Getting mentally stronger can also help us reduce our stress levels, and hobbies like solving puzzles and writing can help us do that. Puzzles require problem-solving skills and develop your focus, both of which can help you navigate future stressors. The focus they require in the present while you’re solving them also acts as a great distraction from anxious thoughts.
Writing, especially introspective writing like journaling, works like painting. It helps you process your thoughts and emotions, which can help you destress and feel better when facing certain situations. If you don’t want to just write for yourself, consider handwriting letters to loved ones or penning short stories. Any form of writing can relieve frustrations and worries.
Our favorite hands-on hobbies that can help you reduce stress are exercise, gardening, knitting, painting, doing puzzles, and writing. All these hobbies help you regulate your emotions and safely destress while enjoying the process. Starting a new hobby is also a fantastic opportunity to connect with other people, and human connection is yet another effective way to reduce stress.
