The Secret to Aging Well? Maybe It’s in the Hobbies.

By Shannon Kasun, Neuroscience Specialist

In college, I took a course called Human Development and Flourishing. For our final assignment, we were asked to interview someone we considered a “successful ager” and uncover their secrets to a good life.

I remember one presentation vividly. A classmate introduced us to her 87-year-old grandfather—a sharp, socially active, physically independent man who practically embodied the themes of our course. If our textbook needed a cover model, it would have been him.

His secret to health and happiness in late life?

Building model airplanes.

He picked up the hobby after retiring, when his days suddenly opened up and the endless possibility of free time felt both freeing and overwhelming. Looking for something meaningful to fill that space, he gravitated toward building model airplances—a natural extension of his years as a Navy pilot.

What started as a project quickly became a passion. The work challenged him, absorbed him, and delighted him. It introduced him to new people, added structure to his days, and gave him a renewed sense of purpose. In his eyes, those model airplanes were the foundation of his wellbeing.

Research strongly supports his experience.

A 2009 study found that participation in enjoyable leisure activities was significantly associated with better psychosocial and physical health (Pressman et al., 2009). Higher scores on the Pittsburgh Enjoyable Activities Test (PEAT)—indicating more frequent leisure engagement—were linked to lower blood pressure, lower cortisol, smaller waist circumference, lower BMI, and better self-reported physical function.

These individuals also reported more positive emotion, less depression, and fewer negative moods. In other words, hobbies don’t just passively fill our time—they shape both physical and cognitive health.

Another study reported that people with neither hobbies nor a sense of purpose in life had a 108% increased risk of mortality compared with those who had both (Tomioka et al., 2016). This suggests that hobbies—especially those tied to meaning or identity—may play a protective role as we age.

But you don’t need to take up model airplane building to reap these benefits. What matters is finding something you enjoy enough to return to. You’re not committed to the first activity you try—experiment, explore, and stay curious. Visit local community centers, join a class, volunteer, or simply try something that sparks interest.

The bottom line?

Happy hobbies make healthy bodies.

References

Pressman, Sarah D et al. “Association of enjoyable leisure activities with psychological and physical well-being.” Psychosomatic medicine vol. 71,7 (2009): 725-32. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181ad7978

Tomioka, Kimiko et al. “Relationship of Having Hobbies and a Purpose in Life With Mortality, Activities of Daily Living, and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Among Community-Dwelling Elderly Adults.” Journal of epidemiology vol. 26,7 (2016): 361-70. doi:10.2188/jea.JE20150153