As the winter months approach, many of us start to feel cooped up. Especially if you live in cooler climates where you can’t go outside as freely as you did in the summer. Thankfully there are plenty of healthy hobbies you can start doing to keep you entertained and enjoying life. Better yet, some of these winter activities are great for boosting your brain, and for improving your overall health.
Hobbies are a great way to take care of your physical and mental well-being. If you’re ready to enjoy the winter season then give these healthy winter hobbies for seniors a try — there is something for everyone!
Want senior content delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our exclusive email list and receive articles and news on diet & nutrition, fitness, and mental health dedicated specifically to our senior audience!
Cooking and Baking
What better way to spend your time indoors than cooking or baking up a storm in your kitchen. You can use this time to learn new healthy recipes and experiment with different ingredients you don’t normally use.
You could also consider exchanging recipes with friends or join an online cooking class to try something new. You can even cook or bake a meal and gift it to family or a friend — the options are endless. Check out these everyday foods all seniors should be eating.
Take an Online Course
Keeping the brain active as we get older is important if you want to help prevent cognitive decline. There are many ways seniors can boost brain health from staying physically active, to getting enough sleep and staying socially connected. But another way to boost brain health is to learn something new!
What better way to learn something new than to take an online course! Online courses are a great way to reap the benefits of education without having to leave your home. Plus, you’ll have the benefit of taking the course at your own pace. Better yet, there are so many online courses for seniors to choose from such as learning about financial markets to business admin, web development, and more!
Walking
Walking can be good for everyone, including seniors. And what better way to get yourself out of the house and enjoying some fresh air? Lowering your risk of chronic diseases, promoting weight loss, and maintaining healthy joints are just a few of the benefits you can gain from walking.
If you’re walking outdoors in the winter make sure you choose the right exercise footwear to help prevent falling or injury. If you get a lot of snow in the winter you might want to consider going for a walk at the mall. Some shopping malls offer senior walking hours before the mall opens. Finally, make the most of your workout with these tips for a better walking workout!
Indoor Gardening
If you enjoy gardening outdoors during the summer months then why not try indoor gardening? Gardening inside is not only a good hobby to start in the winter but there some health benefits too.
Some of the health benefits of gardening include relieving stress as well as keeping you physically active. It’s also rewarding watching something grow and flourish! Some great things you can grow inside include herbs (that you can use in cooking), succulents, lavender, and more.
Sewing and Knitting
Do you like getting creative? Winter is the perfect time for picking up a sewing or knitting hobby. You could even start your own business and sell homemade items for a little extra cash on the side. Or you could also make handmade items to donate to families in need — the options are endless!
Not only are these types of activities fun, but they can have brain-boosting benefits too. For some, sewing and knitting are even therapeutic and a great way to relieve stress.
Arts and Crafts
If you don’t enjoy sewing or knitting, don’t fret! There are many other ways you can get creative such as painting, sculpting, scrapbooking, woodworking, jewelry making, and more.
The winter is a great time to teach yourself a new skill and once again you can even launch your own business by creating products to sell! If you’re a beginner and want help getting started, you can look for classes offered online, at your local community college, or even at your local library.
Writing
Have you ever wanted to write a book? Or perhaps you’ve thought about starting an online blog or journaling daily. The winter is the perfect time to start writing!
Some people find writing can be therapeutic and a great way to relieve stress. It’s also a great tool to help you self reflect, inspire creativity, and may even boost your memory.
At-Home Workouts
Did you know by age 75, one in three men and one in two women partake in no physical activity? But exercising is so important and there are so many benefits to regular exercise for seniors. Some of these include reducing the risk of falling, reducing the risk of chronic diseases, maintaining healthy bones, joints, and muscles.
Exercising also has brain-boosting benefits too! There’s no better time to try an at-home workout than during the winter! To help get you started, check out these at-home exercises for seniors.
It’s worth noting, it’s always advised that you speak with your doctor before starting a new workout regimen.
Organize Your Home
With more time spent indoors, the winter months are the perfect time to start organizing your home. While organizing may be a skill it can certainly turn into a hobby. Many of us accumulate tons of stuff over the years and what better time to purge and keep only what’s functional and valuable to you.
There are plenty of resources available online to help get you started. The best part is once you see how gratifying organizing can be, you’ll want to apply it to all areas of your life.
Reading
Are you an avid reader? Or have you always wanted to make more time for reading? The winter is a great time to start! Better yet, reading is yet another activity that can help keep your brain young.
There are many benefits of reading for both your physical and mental health. For example, reading can help build your vocabulary, help prevent age-related cognitive decline, help you empathize, reduces stress, and may even help you sleep.
Start by creating a reading list (if you don’t have one already) and grab a cozy blanket and a glass of wine or hot tea and start tackling your list! You could even start a virtual book club where you can connect with friends who enjoy reading too.
