Hobbies that HEAL

Forget pills. Pleasurable pastimes, such as singing, painting and knitting, can work wonders for your health - without any nasty side effects!

If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that the past couple of years have been exceptionally hard. COVID-19 has left us on the brink of a mental health crisis, with an international study finding that 41% of the UK population is at psychological risk from the fallout of the pandemic.

But the good news? There's a lot we can do at home to help ourselves. In medicine, there's movement away from prescribing drugs. Instead, patients are encouraged to be more active, creative and social – because ultimately, it's better for our health. In fact, 'social prescribing' could cut visits to the GP and A&E by a quarter, found the University of Westminster.

'Regulated arts therapies are being recognised as an effective treatment for mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, as well as more severe mental health problems,' says Stephen Buckley from mental health charity Mind.

So, if you immersed yourself in hobbies during lockdown, you did the right thing. Sales of wool and knitting needles saw a 400% surge at the start of the pandemic, says Hobbycraft, and of those who got crafting during lockdown, more than half said it boosted wellbeing. Want to give it a go? Here's how to diversify your downtime to nurture both mind and body.

3 WAYS HOBBIES CAN HELP

1 PHYSICALLY Active hobbies keep muscles and bones strong, improving flexibility, balance and overall fitness.

2 MENTALLY Absorption in a hobby distracts us from everyday worries and stops repetitive anxious thoughts.

3 SOCIALLY Joining a club or talking to others with shared interests helps beat loneliness and boosts mental wellbeing.

SING YOUR HEART OUT