Spending time on personal hobbies makes one happier

Question

This claim is made by the site Head to Health, which is a mental health and care website created by the Australian government for aged care. I believe this claim to be true, and a quote from the cite says, "Research shows that participating or viewing artistic activities can enhance your mental health and provide personal meaning." While the website doesn't reference a specific cite where the research can be found, there has been lots of outside research done on this topic, which is what leads me to believe it's true. Also, the cite itself is posted by a government organization which helps its credibility.

Comments

I think it could be helpful to speak more about atleast one other specific site that is another criedble source speaking on this topic.

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I checked out your source on this claim and it seems to be legitimate. I also researched some other sources that also backed up your claim. According to Harvard business Review they also found that by spending more time on your hobbies you can be happier. "We need to prioritize our hobbies just as much as we prioritize work, because hobbies — they make us better people," -H.B.R.

https://hbr.org/2021/10/can-hobbies-actually-make-you-a-better-person

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This is a good start but I would recommend finding some other sources to back up your claim. This fact-check does a good job of explaining the quotes and how they correlate.

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I think a second legitimate source could really improve your fact check, but this is a great start.

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I think it'd be important to better define what a personal hobby actually is, in addition to defining happiness if possible.

Answer 1

After doing some research on the topic of whether or not hobbies make you happier I found that it is true. Birch Psychology, which is a very reputable psychology research site, has done studies showing that doing hobbies and stuff we are good at releases hormones of dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins which makes us happy. Harvard Business Review also said that just 45 minutes of a hobby can boost you confidance and ability to do your job at work. this builds onto the fact that it makes you happier. It seems like there are definite benefits to having a hobby even more so than just being happy.

https://hbr.org/2021/10/can-hobbies-actually-make-you-a-better-person

https://www.birchpsychology.com/birchs-blog/2023/4/30/hobbies-for-happiness#:~:text=Having%20a%20hobby%20along%20these,commitment%20to%20a%20chosen%20activity.

Answer 2

This claim is true. A study conducted by Nature Medicine from people 16 countries showed that "Compared with people who didn't have hobbies, those who did reported better health, more happiness, fewer symptoms of depression, and higher life satisfaction." These include, but are not limited to, arts and crafts, exercising, playing games, and gardening. Another study conducted by the Society of Behavioral Medicine found similar results. They found that people who take part in hobbies have fewer negative emotions and are overall less stressed. Additionally, they concluded that heart rates are lower when people are engaging in their hobbies. Spending 45 minutes on an activity you enjoy can boost your confidence and ability to complete tasks at work. 

Answer 3

The claim is that participating in personal hobbies can make someone happier. I believe that this claim is true. According to the article from Utah State University, engaging in hobbies and creative things has been linked to improvements in health benefits, including reductions in stress, anxiety, and depressions, as well as an increased overall well being. The WebMD site supports this as well, saying that, "taking time to indulge in what you love doing boosts your physical and mental health." Another article explains that people who hobby have better moods, feel more interested, and have less stress and lower heart rates. Because the claim is also made by a government organization's website its credibility is further strengthened. So, the claim is accurate, but people should understand that these factors depend on the type of activity and how much the person engages in their hobbies. 

https://lifeandhealth.org/lifestyle/how-hobbies-make-you-happier-and-healthier/1411136.html

https://extension.usu.edu/mentalhealth/articles/how-hobbies-improve-mental-health

https://www.webmd.com/balance/health-benefits-of-hobbies

Answer 4

I believe the original claim “ Spending time on personal hobbies make one happier” is true. After doing some further research about the claim I found that having a hobby that you enjoy doing can improve your overall wellbeing. Hobbies can lower stress levels and increase ur mood because you are doing something that you enjoy and it is a moment of relief. Hobbies can also improve relationships, many people go through periods of their life where they feel lonely but doing a hobby that you enjoy with a group of people who also enjoy it can promote a sense of community. 

Source 1: Godman, Heidi. “Having a Hobby Tied to Happiness and Well-Being.” Harvard Health, Harvard Health Publishing, 1 Jan. 2024, www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/having-a-hobby-tied-to-happiness-and-well-being.

This Harvard Health article discussed how having a hobby can make you happier, they also included information from a research study that did about people who have hobbies. They found that having hobbies is good for your health, mood, and more. 

Source 2: Venkat, S.R. “Health Benefits of Hobbies.” WebMD, 23 May 2022, www.webmd.com/balance/health-benefits-of-hobbies.

 

This Webmd article discussed how having hobbies can improve overall wellbeing, reduce stress, and improve relationships. This article also highlighted the importance of having a hobby by including how to make time for a hobby since some people think that they don't have time for one. They also discussed things like how hobbies reduce stress by lowering your body's cortisol levels. This article was also done by studying people with and without hobbies so compare how people without hobbies act.