In a world that’s already tough, ADHD makes it even tougher. People living with ADHD will often cope with medication.
In other cases, professionals will advise them to ask for help when they feel overwhelmed or put an organization system in place so that they can focus on specific tasks.
What they’ll rarely hear, is that engaging in exciting hobbies that keep the mind active, plays a huge role in reducing the effects of ADHD.
The right hobbies will improve your concentration and help reduce hyperactivity too.
Here are 11 hobbies for people with ADHD:
Exercise
It’s common knowledge that regular exercise increases the ‘feel-good’ hormones in our bodies, also known as endorphins. If you have ADHD, exercise has the same effect on the brain as ADHD medication by alleviating your symptoms and keeping you focused.
Select an exercise activity that suits your lifestyle. Any cardiovascular exercise like gymnastics, biking, or running will do. If you can, keep yourself entertained during your workout with some music just in case it starts to bore you.
Toys
Legos are fun toys for adults too. They stimulate the mind and keep the hands active. The amazing thing about Lego is that when you finish building a figure or structure, you can break it apart and then create another one. You get to demonstrate your creativity without getting bored.
A yo-yo is also a perfect toy for channeling nervous energy. It’s known to help people with ADHD focused when having conversations. It keeps your brain and hands active without over-stimulation. Fidget spinners are also popular with ADHD sufferers, keeping them calm.
Sports
Sports are a great way to release energy and manage restlessness. Individual sports are highly recommended for people with ADHD because they can practice and play at their convenience without the difficulties of group dynamics and several rules, which might be challenging for them to follow.
Such sports include horseback riding, swimming, martial arts, diving, and archery. Sports help improve self-discipline and self-respect. They also give you a sense of accomplishment when you get a reward for excellent performance, for example, a trophy in swimming or a belt for martial arts.
Gardening
Gardening is a fun activity that will keep you outdoors for hours soaking in the sun and breathing in the fresh air, which is good for your mental health. When your backyard starts growing into this beautiful garden, it’s such a rewarding sight because all your effort has paid off.
Gardening will help with relieving your ADHD symptoms. Several studies have demonstrated that spending extended periods outdoors with nature is a form of therapy for children with ADHD.
It’s therapeutic for adults too. Gardening is a great way to have fun and keep your symptoms in check.
Art (Drawing/Painting)
Making art is not only a great way to express creativity; it also relaxes the mind and improves a person’s mood. Such creative activity increases serotonin levels in the brain, which keeps your mental health in check. Professionals have, over the years, used art as therapy for children and adults with ADHD.
Through activities like painting, drawing, and sculpting, children’s and adults’ confidence and general well-being improve.
These artistic activities allow sufferers to creatively express themselves, which helps them reduce stress, enhance interpersonal skills, manage impulsive behavior, and address emotional difficulties.
Music
Although many experts advise patients with ADHD to stay clear of distractions, including music, some people find it helpful listening to specific tones and rhythms which promote concentration.
The music should mostly be a medium tempo and calm with simple rhythms like classical music.
Learning how to play a musical instrument is a rewarding activity for people living with ADHD. However, it may be a bit challenging for some people because you need to be organized, consistent, and handle frustration well – these are generally difficult for people with ADHD.
The solution to this dilemma is to learn an instrument you’re enthusiastic about, and if it starts to bore you, move on to what excites you.
Knitting
Knitting is not just a grandmother’s fun, creative hobby. This powerful therapeutic activity boosts your mood, increases confidence, reduces stress, and treats panic attacks.
It also activates the left and right brain hemispheres simultaneously, thus enhancing the ability of a person with ADHD to focus and keep the information.
ADHD sufferers are generally identified as ‘right-brained learners’ and face challenges with regular left-brained teaching models. Knitting activates both the left and right hemispheres, consequently developing your learning skills for the left brain.
Journaling
Journaling is an expressive form of writing where you record your feelings and thoughts without restrictions. It provides a therapeutic and healing effect on the mind.
After a long hard day or a harrowing experience, pouring out your emotions on paper is relieving.
Journaling is like talking to a trusted friend, except no one can see what you’re writing, and you don’t have to edit anything.
According to research, expressive writing improves both physical and emotional health, which helps people with ADHD. You only need a pen, notebook, and the willingness to be open and honest.
Camping
Spending time outdoors is an excellent activity for people with ADHD. Research over the years has indicated that being outdoors in a green, natural environment, enhances physical and mental health.
In most cases, camping comes with walking or hiking, which are physical activities.
Spending time outdoors with family or friends will help decrease ADHD symptoms and keep you happier and less stressed, especially in wooded and park type of settings with lots of green.
Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is an activity that helps you actively observe your thoughts and feelings at the moment. It allows you to control your attention and stay focused on one thing at a time.
It also trains you to keep your mind from wandering when you face distractions.
You will become deeply aware of your emotions, reducing the likelihood of acting impulsively. According to one study, mindfulness meditation was discovered to help with ADHD by thickening the prefrontal cortex, directly connected to attention control.
Brain Puzzles and Games
Board games and puzzles are excellent for ADHD sufferers who want to stay occupied for shorter periods. Sudoku is a great game that requires you to fill a 9 by 9 grid with digits from 1 to 9.
You don’t have to be good at math for this and you can play it anywhere. All you need is a pencil and paper.
Playing this Japanese brain game is fun and comes with an endorphin rush when you get the puzzle right. If sudoku doesn’t interest you, try crossword puzzles or other board games that pique your interest.
Take Away
Engaging in a hobby you enjoy will go a long way in helping you cope with ADHD and lower stress levels in general. Most people with ADHD should keep in mind that there’s a high chance of not sticking to a particular hobby for the long term.
If a hobby requires some expensive equipment, it would be a better idea to borrow or rent it rather than purchasing it.
If purchasing is the only option, select what you can easily resell in the future. That said, some people with ADHD have stuck to their interests and hobbies for years.
