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We all need something to help us decompress from the grind of our lives. Between heavy work schedules and household chores, carving out time to do things that relax and entertain us is essential to make sure we don’t burn out. But what do the hobbies we choose to indulge in during our spare time say about us? According to a series of studies by Business Insider magazine, it turns out, quite a lot. The studies indicated that certain hobbies help to work different aspects of the mind. And that, if you routinely engage in these habits of your own accord, it might mean that you are smarter than most…
You might be smarter than most people if you have these 7 hobbies
A study by Sara Lazar and her team at Harvard in 2011 showed that mindfulness meditation actually alters the structure of the brain. A period of about two months of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) showed an increase in cortical thickness in the hippocampus, (which has a large impact on learning and memory).
Taking up an instrument and learning it with routine is said to likely increase the connection between the two hemispheres of the brain. It is essentially the mind equivalent of a full-body workout, employing almost every part of the brain that processes vision, sound, movement, and memory).
Though mental acuity and physical fitness aren’t often seen as related, they are far more closely linked than you’d imagine. According to the CDC, “physical activity can improve your cognitive health—helping you think, learn, problem-solve, and enjoy an emotional balance. It can improve memory and reduce anxiety or depression.”
Learning a new language is said to have a bearing on both decision-making and mental agility, improving both. People who can speak more than just one language have been shown to have better memory, be able to problem-solve better, concentrate and listen more, and multi-task with greater efficiency.
People who choose to travel versus stay home when they have time to spare are found to be smarter because nothing quite opens up the mind like travel. Travel for leisure–that is, travel that involves engaging with a new city or country and its customs, people, cuisine and culture has a hugely positive impact on the mind.
Much like travel, reading is said to be the kind of mind exercise that really opens it up. It is a way, albeit an enjoyable one, of taking in new information and seeing things from a new perspective. While you read, your brain is processing each word, recalling its meaning from memory instantly. Reading also helps with visualisation, letting you imagine what you’re reading, and what voices might sound like in written dialogue.
Though often villainised by popular media as the ‘lazy man’s waste of time, video games can increase your brain's grey matter. It's even called a ‘workout for the brain’, only more fun than burpees. There are a number of studies that have shown that playing video games regularly might both increase grey matter in the brain, as well as boost brain connectivity.
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