Adapted from BMJ 7 Oct 2023
Engaging with a hobby is associated with better self reported health, happiness and life satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms.
The proportion of people who report having hobbies varied considerably between countries.
Almost everyone in Denmark said they had a hobby and half of those in Spain had a hobby.
My comment: Having a hobby is dependent on having the free time to have a hobby. There also may be some expense involved. Often hobbies are a way of engaging with other people and sometimes they are solitary pursuits. They are a way of carving out time for yourself, doing something that you enjoy and can even nourish your body, mind and soul. One of the great joys of retirement that I have found is finally having lots of time to enjoy myself. I hope you are able to fit in a bit of what you enjoy into your weekly or monthly routine too.