Turns Out, “Grandma Hobbies” Might Be The Key To Improving Your Mental Health

One thing I have always known about myself is that I am the type of person who loves hobbies. It all started with the glorious Rainbow Loom. Countless hours of my youth were spent enraptured by the plastic contraption; watching tutorials, learning intricate designs, and pawning off my creations to my friends and family. While I had no idea at the time, my 11-year-old self, who was obsessed with this “grandma hobby,” was actively improving her mental health. 

This practice — like crocheting but with rubber bands and plastic hooks — was one of many of my personal experiments with domesticity. I also had brief stints with Martha Stewart cookbooks and a sewing machine. I have now shifted away from homestead activities, but I still have not outgrown my passion for hobbies. During my three-month internship this summer spent in a new city, I joined a dance studio, started volunteering at an animal shelter, and bought a coloring book.

All this goes to show I have always been an advocate for picking up new hobbies. That’s why I was thrilled to find out that “grandma hobbies” have a significant positive impact on mental health. Simple pleasures like knitting, gardening, painting, and more have benefits that should not be overlooked. I’m so serious.

And that’s not just coming from me. “[Grandma hobbies] slow the pace of life, allowing teens to unplug, focus on one task, and experience a sense of accomplishment and calm,” Executive Director of Young Adult Services at Newport Healthcare, Helene D’Jay, says.

D’Jay added that these activities can also provide a healthy outlet for self-expression and stress relief. Over time, they can even “rewire the brain toward presence, patience, and joy.”

Due to the whirlwind speed of life and unlimited access to media, D’Jay says that “recent data suggests that anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, and self-harm are the prevailing mental health challenges faced by teenage women and young adults.”

Immersive “grandma hobbies” can help alleviate these struggles. These hands-on acts are practices of mindfulness that “help build patience, frustration tolerance and coping skills,” D’Jay says.

Associate Dean of Research at Touro University Nevada, Lisa Razzano, PhD, echoes these sentiments. “‘Grandma hobbies’ offer a holistic approach to emotional well-being, promoting relaxation, creativity, social connection, and a sense of purpose,” Razzano says. “All of which are vital for a healthy mind, and they are not just for grandmothers anymore.”

This information is probably not all too surprising. It makes logical sense that engaging in precise, repetitive motions helps people to slow down and reconnect with themselves. Recognizing the benefits is not the hard part; picking up and sticking with a new hobby is.

While I have already established my credentials as a hobby-lover, I must admit I have not found one that I have really stuck with. Remember that coloring book I mentioned? She has not been unpacked since I moved out of that summer apartment.

To combat this, D’Jay recommends releasing the pressure to be good at something right away. “The goal isn’t perfection,” D’Jay says. “Rather, it’s consistent and routine participation in these hobbies. Trying a hobby with a friend, or joining a class or club, can also make it more social and less intimidating.” This pressure may be exacerbated by access to media and unrelenting co-comparison. So, it is important to remember that even a few minutes a day can begin to build the mental health benefits of creativity and mindful engagement.

Picking up a new activity can be daunting, but it’s almost always worthwhile, even if it takes some trial-and-error before finding yours. Just like Razzano said, these hobbies are not just for grandmas; they are for everyone. Next time an older person tries to blame “those damn phones,” you can share your experiences with your new hobby.

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