Hobbies for Chronic Illness: Ideas to try out even when you’re tired
- Apr 12
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 17
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When you’re living with a chronic illness, your world can quietly shrink. Plans get cancelled. Energy becomes unpredictable. And the things you used to enjoy don’t always feel possible anymore.
That’s where you may find yourself searching online for 'hobbies for chronic illness'- not as a way to “fix” anything, but as a way to gently bring joy, purpose, and calm back into your day.
No pressure. No expectations. Just small moments that feel like yours again.
But hobbies for chronic illness all have something in common. They can usually be done from the bed or the sofa.
Skip to:
Why hobbies matter more than you think
When your body feels unreliable, it’s easy for everything to start revolving around symptoms.
But trying hobbies for chronic illness can help you to:
Shift your focus away from pain (even briefly)
Create structure on slower days
Support your mental health
Reconnect with who you are beyond your condition
According to the Mental Health Foundation, engaging in enjoyable activities can improve mood, reduce stress, and support overall wellbeing in young people - but this can also apply for those managing long-term conditions. But let’s face it, we probably already know this ourselves.
So this isn’t about “filling time.” It’s about feeling like yourself again, in a way that works for you. And regaining a little bit of control over your day.
The best hobbies for chronic illness (that meet you where you are)
Not all hobbies need to be energetic or productive. In fact, some of the best hobbies for chronic illness are often ones that are:
Flexible
Gentle
Easy to pause and pick back up
Here are some ideas to explore:
Creative hobbies
Journaling or creative writing. This could be on paper or your phone. Hand written, typed or voice notes
Adult colouring. Using shop/online bought books or digital apps.
Painting or sketching. On paper or using a computer, tablet or phone. Procreate.
Crochet or knitting
Sewing, embroidery, cross stitch or needlepoint
Scrapbooking
These can be especially helpful for processing emotions and creating a sense of calm.
Low-energy, mindful hobbies
Reading (a few pages at a time counts). A hardback or paperback book, a kindle or other digital book. A bought one or a borrowed book from the library. Use apps like Borrowbook.
Listening to audiobooks or podcasts. Or watch them on YouTube instead.
Puzzles, crossword or sudoku.
Meditation or breathwork
Research from the NHS highlights how mindfulness-based (what is mindfulness) activities can reduce stress and improve quality of life - something that matters deeply when you’re managing symptoms day to day.
Digital and at-your-own-pace hobbies
Blogging, vlogging or podcasting (sharing your story or interests). Just like I do here.
Pinterest or content creation. Create vision boards for interests you have. Here is mine.
Photography (even from home). Use your phone, learn how to master it. Or use a digital camera. Or go old school and use a camera with a film and get it developed at a supermarket photo booth or by post if you can't get out.
Learning something new online. There are lots of free courses on Open University. Free courses in England or Udemy etc.
These kind of hobbies for chronic illness, can give you a sense of progress and connection, even on days when leaving the house isn’t an option.
But remember - your hobbies don’t have to be productive
This is important. We live in a world that loves productivity. But when you’re managing a chronic illness, that mindset can feel exhausting.
Your hobbies don’t need to:
Make money
Lead to something
Be “useful”
If it helps you feel calmer, lighter, or more like yourself… it’s enough.
Hobbies can be expensive, but hobbies for chronic illness sufferers may be impossible
Instead of asking for money at Christmas and birthdays from loved ones, find a kit that you want to try and ask them to buy it for you.
Amazon often sell books for 99p, to find these search “kindle books 99p today" on the Amazon app.
Audible lets you use the app for 30 days free, and during that time you can listen to one free book. (You can sign up for this and cancel it before you are charged...)
Charity shops often have balls of wall donated which will be much cheaper to buy, as well as curtains or sheets that can be used to sew with.
If you want to create your own pattern for sewing, don’t buy the expensive pattern paper, use bakeproof paper on a roll. It works just as well, or newspaper is great too - as long as the fabric is a dark colour so the ink doesn’t mark it.
Etsy sellers list colouring pages as an alternative to buying a printed book, which can be bought in single sheets.
Puzzles, sudoku and crosswords are all available for free online:
Solve puzzles online here.
Play sudoku via this website.
Get your thinking hat on and do these crosswords.
Meditation and breathwork channels are all free on YouTube.
How to find hobbies that actually work for you
It can take a bit of trial and error - and that’s okay.
Here’s a simple way to approach it:
Start small 5 - 10 minutes is plenty
Follow your energy - match the hobby to how you feel that day
Let go of perfection - messy counts
Keep it accessible - choose things you can do from bed or the sofa if needed
The goal isn’t consistency. It’s compassion. And enjoyment.
When even hobbies feel like too much
There will be days when nothing feels appealing.
Days when your energy is low, your symptoms are loud, and even your favourite hobbies feel out of reach.
On those days, rest is the hobby. Watching the next episode in that Netflix box set you’ve started is still a hobby as long as you’re getting joy from it. Watching something comforting. Sitting quietly. Doing nothing at all. That counts too.
I hope this post has given you some ideas
Hobbies for chronic illness aren’t about becoming a new person.
They’re about finding your way back to yourself, gently and without pressure.
Some days that might look like journaling.
Other days it might look like listening to a podcast with your eyes closed.
Both are valid. Both matter.
Start small. Stay curious. And let your hobbies meet you exactly where you are in your illness. And be kind to yourself.
And as always, you should speak to your doctor before stopping or changing any medication you’ve been prescribed or start any kind of exercise regime.
Health Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and based on personal experience. It does not replace medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, medications, or treatment plan.
Tags: hobbies for chronic illness
Hi, I’m Sally. I share simple ways to calm the nervous system and live more gently, shaped by my own experience living with menieres and TMJ disorder. I hope my journey helps you feel supported on yours.