Hobbies can improve your health â here are four tips for choosing one | TheBriefWire
Hobbies can improve your health â here are four tips for choosing one
Published 31 July 2026 ¡ health
From sea swimming to painting, doctors are âprescribingâ hobbies â but you donât need a doctorâs note to get started In 2020, the year Amanda
From sea swimming to painting, doctors are âprescribingâ hobbies â but you donât need a doctorâs note to get started In 2020, the year Amanda lost her mother, husband, job and pre-pandemic normalcy, she was diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
âMy life was just spiraling down and down and down,â she says. To help with her symptoms, in addition to an antidepressant prescription, Amanda was given a â social prescription â: a referral to a non-medical, community-based activity, typically involving movement, nature, art or service.
Amanda lives near Devon, England, and became curious about sea swimming after reading about its health benefits and watching other women do it at her local beach all year round. When she told this to her mental health nurse, she was prescribed a spot in Chill Therapy, an eight-week course that teaches swimming, floating and breathing techniques to build skill and confidence navigating the open water.
Published: July 31, 2026 ⢠9:30 PM IST ¡ Updated: July 31, 2026 ⢠10:09 PM ISTBy TheBriefWire Editorial Team
Key points
From sea swimming to painting, doctors are âprescribingâ hobbies â but you donât need a doctorâs note to get started In 2020, the year Amanda lost her mother, husband, job and pre-pandemic normalcy, she was diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
âMy life was just spiraling down and down and down,â she says.
To help with her symptoms, in addition to an antidepressant prescription, Amanda was given a â social prescription â: a referral to a non-medical, community-based activity, typically involving movement, nature, art or service.
Amanda lives near Devon, England, and became curious about sea swimming after reading about its health benefits and watching other women do it at her local beach all year round.
When she told this to her mental health nurse, she was prescribed a spot in Chill Therapy, an eight-week course that teaches swimming, floating and breathing techniques to build skill and confidence navigating the open...
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