Having a hobby has been noted time and again as an easy and productive way to improve your quality of life. That's right — everything from your stress levels to your heart health can be improved by finding a passion that suits your lifestyle.
According to Shape magazine, a hobby like knitting can reduce your blood pressure, while at the same time, engaging your mind.
There's also an element of having something to show for it as your develop your hobby. We love playing Word Streak with Friends on our phones as much as the next person, but it doesn't give the same satisfaction as, say, creating a photo album from pictures you developed yourself.
Take a look at eight old-fashioned hobbies we think are worth trying out — and the many benefits that can come from them:


(Shown here: A collection of knitting paraphernalia including wool, knitting needles, a tape measure and buttons, July, 1967.)


(Shown here: Dr. Elmer McKeen, a Huntington Park, Calif., dentist, goes in for unusual miniatures as his hobby.)

Read about this darkroom here.



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