Seniors who engage in hobbies have a higher level of life satisfaction, are less likely to experience depressive symptoms, and feel healthier. While it has long been known that exercise has a positive impact on the health of seniors, a recent study by the University College London (UCL) has investigated whether other hobbies can improve the health and life satisfaction of people over 65 years old. The study analyzed data from 93,263 seniors from five ongoing longitudinal studies in England, Japan, the United States, China, and twelve European countries. The study defined hobbies as any activities that people engage in for pleasure during their leisure time, including volunteering, sports, membership in a club, reading, and gardening.
The data from each country showed significant differences in the proportion of seniors who engage in at least one hobby. In Denmark (96%), Sweden (95.8%), and Switzerland (94.4%), almost all seniors have a hobby. The lowest percentage was found in China (37.6%), but the authors explain that the Chinese longitudinal study only recorded social hobbies and not hobbies in general. The longitudinal studies, which ran for four to eight years, showed that seniors who engage in hobbies have a better perception of their health, higher life satisfaction, and are less likely to experience depressive symptoms.
The study found that the positive effects of hobbies were consistent across different cultural contexts and remained even after adjusting for other factors such as partnership status, employment, and household income. The authors suggest that the study’s results indicate a possible causal relationship between a person’s hobbies and their life satisfaction. However, as it is only an observational study, the researchers could not prove causality. The study highlights the potential of hobbies to protect older people from age-related declines in mental health and well-being. Hobbies can contribute to life satisfaction in our later years through many mechanisms, including the feeling of having control over our thoughts and bodies, finding a purpose in life, and feeling competent in addressing daily problems.
