12 Feel-Good Hobbies That Help Reduce Stress, According to Experts
Boost your mental health and have a good time in the process.
Stress can easily become part of your daily routine. Between juggling work, family, packed schedules, and the temptation to endlessly scroll social media, your days can feel nonstop. But while adding another activity to your calendar may sound overwhelming, carving out time for a hobby may actually help reduce stress.
“Hobbies give our nervous system a break,” says Danielle Roeske, PsyD, the vice president of residential services at 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.
Having a hobby also gives you something to look forward to, offering a bright spot in a hectic day and a sense of control when things feel chaotic, says Lorenzo Norris, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry at George Washington University. “It’s going to allow you to engage and relax.”
Need inspiration? Here are a few hobbies that can help 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, PhD, the director of The Whole Person Center at National University and a self-professed yogi who recommends it to her 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.”
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, PsyD, a licensed psychologist and principal of clinical partnerships at Spring Health.
Walking, in particular, has been shown to improve mood. For one, it can get you outside, which is another stress-lowering benefit, Dr. Norris adds. Ultimately, he says, the healthiest hobbies are those that you enjoy and that add something meaningful to your life.
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, social touch, and culture.
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.”
Cooking and baking
Cooking is a hobby that Matthew Solit, MSW, the 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 Health Education & Behavior found that cooking can positively affect socialization, 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.
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.
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.”
Watching TV and Movies
Yes, excessive screen time can heighten stress in some cases. However, being intentional about watching your favorite shows or movies could lower stress, says Dr. Norris. For instance, having a show on in the background while you’re cooking or committing to just watching a single film or episode of a series. Just avoid staying up until the wee hours of the night, skipping sleep, or doomscrolling, he adds.
Even watching sports is a hobby, according to Dr. Norris. It may seem counterintuitive when your favorite team is losing, but watching sports can have positive effects on well-being, social interaction, and emotional experience, according to a 2024 study published in Frontiers in Psychology.
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.
Puzzles
Whether it’s crosswords or jigsaws, puzzles are a tactile activity that ignites your brain and creativity. They’re something you can immerse yourself in, Dr. Norris says.
“Puzzles are huge in my house,” Dr. Bickler says, adding that they help her family connect. “We'll just sort of sit around the counter and not even realize we're doing something, but it pulls us away from the noise of the world.”
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.
Journaling
Creative writing can improve focus and boost self-expression, which can be stress-lowering, Dr. Symon says. Journaling helps, too. It gives you a chance to explore your feelings and get stressors off your chest in a non-judgmental way. Positive affect journaling, or writing about positive aspects of your life, has been linked to improved well-beingand shown to lower mental distress.
How to get started with a hobby
Ease in. Choose a hobby that’s low-cost and low-commitment to make it feel more 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.
10 Common Habits Neurologists Want You to Quit
The Cold Medicine You Need to Avoid With High BP
Pharmacists Warn You Shouldn’t Mix These Cold Meds
What You Need to Know If You Have Dense Breasts
