People With Any Of These 11 Hobbies Stay Younger Longer Than Everyone Else
These creative and mindful activities keep you glowing from the inside and out.
Studio Romantic / Shutterstock Aging gracefully doesn't necessarily have to do with expensive skincare or miracle supplements (sunscreen, of course, is excluded — keep that SPF at 50+). Keeping your mind young and active, filled with endless ideas for your next hobby that can help you feel more energized and mentally sharp, is the next best thing, and people who take part in some specific hobbies stay younger longer than everyone else.
Please don't take my word for it. Research has shown that people who regularly engage in creative hobbies like dancing, painting, or even gaming show signs of slower brain aging. Creativity activates multiple regions of the brain, making it as beneficial for longevity as physical exercise. So take a look at this list and pick up a hobby that calls to you the most.
People with any of these 11 hobbies stay younger longer than everyone else
1. Dancing
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Learning how to dance is a great way to keep you ready on your feet when you get pulled onto the dance floor and to keep your mind and body looking younger than they actually are. Research has shown that those who took up tango specifically as a hobby have brains that are, on average, seven years younger than their biological age.
Even if you decide that tango isn't your cup of tea, freely moving your body to your favorite music can be very liberating and help you stay fit in a fun way. The best part is that dancing with a friend or partner can take this hobby to the next level.
2. Gardening
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Anyone can benefit from learning how to grow their own garden, big or small; it's all about staying creative with what you start growing, which helps you stay younger than everyone else. Taking care of a plant baby can be very accessible, believe it or not. If you live in a house with a backyard or in a tiny apartment, all you really need is sunlight and dedication. Even if you're not a person who eats a lot of vegetables, having your own herbs, flowers, or succulents can be very rewarding when you start to see them flourish and grow.
Having plants at home and in a workplace can also help reduce stress, release muscle tension, and even lower blood pressure. So the next time you're in your local grocery store, grab that small, lovely plant to help boost your mood and improve your health.
3. Yoga
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Yoga not only helps you stretch your body and muscles, but it can also serve as therapy, helping you remain younger than those who don't. Everyone can do yoga. It's all about finding the right poses that help your mental and physical needs. The cat-cow pose helps with lower back pain, and the downward dog can help reduce stress levels.
Not only is it an easy way to get your health back on track, but you can do it anywhere you please, from your bed to your local park. If you want to connect even deeper with yourself and nature, the best place to do yoga is outside, barefoot, to help you truly ground yourself.
4. Painting or drawing
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Staying creative by drawing or painting can help you stay younger than everyone else. Many people may feel intimidated by painting and drawing because they think they're not good at it, but everyone has their own unique style. Just because you can't draw a realistic face doesn't mean you can't draw period. An abstract is a form of art, remember that. You also don't need to buy the most expensive paints or pencils to start this new hobby; masterpieces have been created with a simple Bic ballpoint pen.
A great way to start would be to draw what you see or feel in the moment, draw what's around your neighborhood, or even in your room. This simple prompt can help get those creative juices flowing. Keeping a notepad with you to draw symbols or items you find interesting is a great way to consistently tap into your creativity.
5. Reading
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Reading is an essential hobby if you want to stay younger than everyone else, and it doesn't mean you need to read books that challenge your mind all the time, such as the old classics with vocabulary that you need to look up every other page, or self-help books. Of course, those are important to read if you're interested in that, but it's also important to read material that lets you escape from the real world for a while.
A study found that readers live longer than non-readers and have a 20% lower mortality rate, regardless of the type of book they read. So, don't let anyone tell you that their non-fiction book is superior to your fantasy romance novel.
6. Cooking or baking
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Cheffing something up in the kitchen and using your creativity to add twists and unique elements to a dish can help you stay younger than everyone else and also help develop new recipes you wouldn't have explored if you stuck to your regular eating patterns. Making your own food, especially from scratch, is a healthier alternative to eating out or buying a frozen meal from Trader Joe's.
When you bake or cook something for yourself, you learn new skills that can be applied to other hobbies that require patience and an eye for detail. If you ever make too much food, you can always invite your loved ones to try your latest experiment and turn it into a little gathering.
7. Nature walks
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If you're not much of an artsy person, that is perfectly fine because there is a hobby for everyone here that can help you stay younger than everyone else. Taking nature walks enables you to disconnect from the ever-buzzing noise of your daily life and connect with Mother Earth. Slowing down and breathing fresh air can help you learn to appreciate the small things you find on your walk. If you partake in this hobby long enough, you can take it to the next level and even start going on camping trips to state parks near you, or even make a road trip out of it.
Surrounding yourself with nature can help restore your energy and mental health. Even if you decide to walk on your own, that in itself is a form of self-care.
8. Meditation
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If you want to stay younger than everyone else, you also need to take care of your mind through meditation. Many people give up trying to meditate because they can't seem to clear out their cluttered minds, but having a blank mind is not what meditation is really about. Learning to let those thoughts pass rather than hold onto them is what meditation is supposed to help with.
This is a hobby that will take many years to fully master, or even get a hang of, which is why it can be a perfect one for many. Staying consistent with yourself can help your brain and body remain grounded and resilient.
9. Volunteering
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This hobby is one that many wouldn't first think of, but helping other people or even animals in need can help you stay younger than everyone else by giving you a strong sense of purpose in life. Acts of kindness can even reduce symptoms of depression or anxiety.
The great thing about volunteering is that you can always find a different way or place to help those in need, from helping at an animal shelter by walking dogs to help get them adopted to helping distribute meals during Thanksgiving.
10. Junk journaling
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If you love to keep receipts and stickers from places you've been, junk journaling will be right up your alley. Always having the urge to find and explore new places while keeping mementos of your experiences will help keep you younger than everyone else by fueling your child-like sense of wonder.
Don't think you need to travel by plane or car to find cool stickers and postcards to glue in your journal. You can visit your local coffee shop and use the napkins or cup holders with their logo to log your favorite place to go for a quick pick-me-up.
Dedicating a couple of minutes a day, or even hours, to your journal can help you appreciate the little details, and the best part is that there are no rules for this craft as long as you're enjoying it and getting creative with new ways to display your receipts from birthday dinners and movie tickets.
11. Learning a new language
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This hobby might seem a bit daunting to some. Still, if you really dedicate time to it, not only will it make you smarter and help you learn more about a culture and its language, but it will also help you stay younger than everyone else through actively engaging your brain in an activity that requires patience and memorization.
Don't feel the need to spend money on enrolling in classes if you don't want to. Many have learned different languages by immersing themselves in movies, shows, music, and attending events where the language is spoken. Just because you might not be going to school anymore doesn't mean that you should stop learning something new. It can also help you keep your cognitive skills sharp.
If you're able to find at least one new hobby, you'll be spending your free time nurturing your brain and your soul instead of scrolling mindlessly on your phone or computer. It's important to find a hobby that not only fills your free time but also fills your life with purpose. Remember to stay creative and curious, no matter how old you are.
Doreen Albuerne is a writer with a bachelor's degree in journalism, covering relationships, mental health, and lifestyle topics.
