Hobbies are not only a way to spend your free time in a meaningful way, they also lower the stress level and can have a positive effect on the psyche. We present five hobbies that will make you happier.
5 Hobbies That Will Make You Happier
Hiking
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a few hours’ drive away or very close by – there’s sure to be a nice spot for hiking in your area. With a relaxed walk or a more demanding alpine route, you can experience the connection with nature, spend the day in the fresh air and escape from your usual everyday environment. The rhythmic movement while walking also ensures that the happiness hormone serotonin is released and thus has a positive effect on the psyche. Particularly beautiful hiking trails can be found, for example, in the Allgäu or in the Rhön.
Baking
It is a well-known fact that eating makes you happy – especially when it comes to chocolate, which promotes well-being thanks to the amino acid tryptophan contained in cocoa, a building block of the happiness hormone serotonin. In the best case, baking combines both and is therefore a hobby that is not only fun, but also makes you feel happy while baking and enjoying it afterwards. The variety of sweet dishes, from cakes, tarts and biscuits to savory pastries such as puff pastry, quiche or rolls, is almost endless and invites you to try out your own ideas as well as recipes. Make yourself and your loved ones happy and share your baking creations – after all, shared happiness is double happiness.
Meditate
Meditation is a spiritual practice in which you can find your inner center through mindfulness and concentration exercises and come into harmony with yourself. The state of rest achieved through the exercises is often described with the words “being in the here and now” and “being free of thoughts”. The latter is particularly important for brain health and a balanced psyche. This gives the brain the chance to regenerate itself during periods of stress and to “switch off” in the truest sense of the word. This makes you more relaxed and happier in the long run, while also improving body awareness.
Learn An Instrument
Setting (and achieving) new goals motivates, makes you proud and happy. In order to play an instrument, one must first learn it. This process requires a certain amount of focus and willpower, but rewards you with constant progress. Have you always wanted to play the guitar or take a drumming class? Just do it – in addition to the sense of achievement of getting better with every practice and expanding your own skills, learning an instrument is also a nice way to regularly take time just for yourself.
Hike
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a few hours’ drive away or very close by – there’s sure to be a nice spot for hiking in your area. With a relaxed walk or a more demanding alpine route, you can experience the connection with nature, spend the day in the fresh air and escape from your usual everyday environment. The rhythmic movement while walking also ensures that the happiness hormone serotonin is released and thus has a positive effect on the psyche. Particularly beautiful hiking trails can be found, for example, in the Allgäu or in the Rhön.