What hobbies of yours have benefited your mental health the most?

[Bearthewear]

I would say walking , always feel better after a walk.

Knitting is an amazing stress buster and I love it. Doctors have been known to encourage it.

I've just started on my family history again and that has been a lovely distraction. It's interesting, methodical and takes you out of your every day stresses into another time and place.

Both of those would top my list.

Gardening.
Also listen to guided meditations, very calming and relaxing

Walking, Duolingo, and playing my harp.

Tennis. Don't think about anything else when I'm playing a as I am concentrating. Gives me such a boost.

Reading and sewing.

Reading, because you can lose yourself in a good book. Sewing has the satisfaction of making something you are proud of (mostly!).

Jigsaw puzzles, yoga,running, drawing Celtic knot work.

Photography because I can do it anywhere/everywhere (almost), I can look back through my images and see how I've improved, I joined a club ages ago and, although I haven't made any actual friends, I have made acquaintances who I can occasionally pass the time of day with. When not in lockdown it gets me out of the house and gives me something to do, talk and think about other than my children and my job.

Blacksmithing - it involves fire and hitting things with hammers both of which can be very cathartic. Admittedly I could do without burning and cutting myself quite so frequently but even that tends to focus the mind somewhat.

Zumba & yoga, most definitely! Playing video games sometimes

Choir, though illegal even zoom rehearsals give you a bit of community and some lovely music. Sewing clothes, that fit really well and have huge pockets is wonderful in terms of body image and confidence. Im sewing weekday evenings this lockdown and I swear it has kept me sane, a real flow activity. Gardening, there's nothing like green shoots for lifting my spirits and sketches of garden designs and planting plans are so full of hope. Playing my daughter's harp turns out to be utterly magic, I want lessons of my own! I also sit down at the piano and play unchallenging but soothing stuff to rapidly decompress. Getting out to the sea, the rivers, the woods and the heaths has been a life saver this last year.

Virtual reality

Open Water Swimming.

I started 2 years ago when I got into triathlon and cannot believe how much it has gotten me through this last year!

The middle of a lake is absolutely my happy place and all is right with the world after a swim ☺️

Volunteering with animals. They help me to live in the moment

Rowing. There is nothing like being out on a river (low on the water) on your own in the early hours of the morning.

weight lifting, I love the ache

@Sadsiblingatsea

Filling up bird feeders and going out at dusk to leave cat food and water out for hedgehogs. Some are waking up now which is bad news as there isn’t much if any, natural food around so any help we can offer is the difference between life and death. Really worth following *@hedgehogcabin* on Twitter and google her excellent website.

That makes me feel sad.

Is cat food the best thing to leave out (don't want to attract the local cats to my garden) and where should I leave it?

Singing. Cake decorating. Animal crossing!

French cinema has been a godsend during the pandemic for me. Even more important than it was beforehand.

I'd say walking too @Bearthewear

Gardening at home and my allotment. Walking.

Another vote for gardening.

Fresh air, great exercise and you get to make something look lovely, can't beat it.

Yoga

Cycling with friends

And upcycling shit furniture. I get a real kick out of the ugly written off to beautiful and desired. A fairy tale for furniture

Horse riding, running and using Davina's Own Your Goals website

Reading, writing (slowly writing a book), and playing the switch.
Can't walk very far but I do enjoy them when I can also.