With endless to do lists and far-reaching work and family duties, many of us battle stress on a daily basis. But while it may seem impossible to add something else to the mix, taking the time to enjoy a hobby can actually lower your stress levels.
“Hobbies give our nervous system a break,” says mental health specialist Dr Danielle Roeske of Newport Healthcare. “When life feels stressful, our brains often get stuck in problem-solving or worry mode, and hobbies gently pull us out of that loop with a distraction. They offer a sense of focus, enjoyment, and even accomplishment that’s separate from our daily responsibilities.” In fact, researchers have identified more than 600 ways leisure activities can improve your health, including managing anxiety and stress, according to a 2022 research review published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
Need inspiration? Here are 10 hobbies that actively help to reduce stress.
Yoga
Stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, can linger in your body when you’re under pressure. Yoga gives “your body a chance to release what it’s holding onto,” says Aurelia Bickler, director of The Whole Person Centre at National University who often yoga to patients.
Yoga’s fluid movements and synchronized breathing can help relieve and manage stress and improve well-being, according to a 2024 pilot study published in Frontiers in Public Health. Roeske adds that the mindfulness aspect of yoga helps calm the nervous system and brings you to the present, “rather than spiraling into worries about tasks and the future.”
Getty Images
Walking
Physical activity of any kind benefits all aspects of your health, including mental health. Exercise lowers stress hormones and boosts endorphins and other mood-supporting neurotransmitters, says Kerry Symon, psychologist of Spring Health.
Walking, in particular, has been shown to improve mood. For one, it can get you outside, which is another stress-lowering benefit, adds Dr Lorenzo Norris, associate professor of psychiatry at George Washington University. Ultimately, he says, the healthiest hobbies are those that you enjoy and that add something meaningful to your life.
Erik Isakson – Getty Images
Dancing
Like other forms of physical activity, dancing can lower stress, says Dr. Norris. “I have two left feet, so if I can do it, anybody can do it.”
It might sound odd, but there are a variety of ways that dance can help you combat stress and overwhelm. A 2025 narrative review published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise found that the activity combines many stress-lowering characteristics, including music, movement, self-expression, synchronization, and social connection.
JGI/Jamie Grill – Getty Images
Gardening
Digging in the dirt and caring for plants can be calming, “due to its repetitive, sensory nature, and connection to the natural world,” Dr. Symon says. Spending time outdoors has also been shown to lower stress.
“There’s nothing more regulating than being around living things and nurturing living things,” adds Dr. Bickler. “It invites us to slow things down. It also reminds us that growth takes time.”
Getty Images
Cooking and baking
Cooking is a hobby that Matthew Solit, executive clinical director at LifeStance Health, says brings him “deep joy.” He says it allows for some “thoughtful time” to reflect and relax.
He’s not alone. A study published in US journal Health Education & Behavior found that cooking can positively affect socialisation, self-esteem, and quality of life. Cooking and baking are hands-on activities that can become passion projects and add meaning to your life, agrees Dr. Norris.
Choreograph (Konstantin Yuganov) – Getty Images
Making music and art
Engaging in art has been shown to improve mental well-being. Painting, playing music, or other art forms let you express your creativity and “create a sense of flow,” which can fight stress, Dr. Bickler says. Don’t worry about being good at it, she emphasizes, just create.
Making art also engages the hands and mind, which can feel calming and meditative, Roeske points out. It also promotes focus and self-expression without judgment, Dr. Symon adds.
Carol Yepes – Getty Images
Crafting
Woodworking, knitting, and other crafts engage your mind, heighten creativity, and let you work with your hands, which lowers stress, Roeske says. These activities also bring a sense of accomplishment from creating something.
Crafts may take time to learn, which can be rewarding, Solit says. “There is incredible meaning in pushing through the discomfort of learning a new skill.”
Lajst – Getty Images
Reading
“Reading for pleasure, especially fiction books, can allow the brain to mentally step away from stressors and immerse itself in another world, offering emotional relief and relaxation,” Roeske says.
Recreational reading was associated with lower psychological distress, improved mental health, and heightened motivation among college students, according to a 2022 study published in the Journal of American College Health.
Moyo Studio – Getty Images
Photography
Another creative pursuit that may lower stress is photography, especially when it involves taking pictures of landscapes, Dr. Norris says. In a 2024 study published in PsyCh Journal, university students in China experienced reduced mental stress when they spent five minutes photographing nature, compared to taking photos in urban areas.
TRY IT: How to Get Started With Photography
Klaus Vedfelt
How to get started with a hobby
Ease in. Choose a hobby that’s low-cost and low-commitment enough to make it feel realistic and approachable, suggests Roeske. Even devoting 10 or 15 minutes to the hobby is beneficial; you don’t have to wait for the perfect moment.
Focus on the experience rather than perfection. Don’t worry if you’re not good at it, Dr. Bickler says: “It’s not about performance. It’s not about accomplishment. It’s supposed to be fun.”
Give yourself grace. The goal is to lower stress, so allow yourself “grace and acceptance,” even if you make mistakes, Solit says.
Getty Images
