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Winter Hobbies Black People Should Try

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Winter is fast approaching. When the days get shorter and the temperature falls below freezing most of us just want to stay in the house. 

Who wants to be active during the colder months? It’s a struggle, but it’s important to find hobbies during the fall and winter seasons to keep you excited about life. Season changes can have serious effects on your mental health. Black people must pay more attention to their mental health, especially during winter months.

According to BU Today, an estimated 10 million Americans suffer from what is known as seasonal affective disorder, with women four times more likely to be diagnosed than men.

The best way to combat the depressing feeling that may come from drastic temperature changes is to find winter hobbies that strengthen the mind, body, and soul. Research suggests that staying active during the winter can improve your mental and physical health as well as improve your work performance on the job. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans now find themselves working from home, which means they are spending even less time being active during the day.  Finding a winter hobby ensures that your body is receiving the activity it needs to stay healthy.

Below we’ve listed a few winter hobbies we think would be highly beneficial for our readers. Take this list, try a few, then share your experiences with your friends and family.

“A hobby a day keeps the sadness away.”

Join a local gym

Joining a gym is a great way to meet like-minded individuals and stay in shape throughout the winter. When trying to find a gym, focus on the places that offer specialty classes like kickboxing, or spin classes. Gyms can be expensive, but using coupon sites like Groupon could lead to some great deals on workout classes

Learn yoga

Yoga can be one of the most self-fulfilling hobbies you learn. Yoga therapy can be beneficial to both your mental and physical health. According to some studies, Yoga not only improves strength, balance, and flexibility but also reduces stress and body-wide inflammation. Combating high blood pressure and excess weight can also be achieved through Yoga therapy. 

Build an indoor garden

Consider building a garden in your apartment. Nature is the world’s first wonder drug. Studies have shown that spending time outside with plants can relieve anxiety, lower your blood pressure, and boost your immune system. Doctors in other parts of the world have even prescribed houseplants to their patients who suffer from depression. Bringing plants into your space can immediately help with your overall health.  Our bodies were originally programmed to thrive in natural environments. When we are surrounded by lively green life, we tend to be healthier and happier.

Read a book a month

Reading is one of the most important hobbies for the human mind. It’s scientifically proven that reading helps stimulate and strengthen brain activity. It also helps with your communication skills, and your focus, and helps improve your memory. The mind is a muscle that needs strengthening just like any other muscle. Picking up a book is just like picking up some weights only ur brain is doing the heavy lifting instead of your biceps. 

Take some online courses

Have you ever wanted to learn how to paint or play a new instrument? Taking an online course this winter could be exactly what you need to meet your goals for the new year. Learning a new skill can open up new doors socially as well as financially. Sites like Udemy and Coursera offer quality courses for cheap prices on everything from how to write a novel to how to do landscape photography.  Learning a new skill this winter will most certainly lead to more opportunities once the weather begins to warm.

SEE ALSO:

Black People And Seasonal Depression: How To Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder

How Raising Chickens Helped With This Black Man’s Mental Health

The post 5 Winter Hobbies That Black People Should Give A Try appeared first on NewsOne.

5 Winter Hobbies That Black People Should Give A Try  was originally published on newsone.com