Why Knitting Is Good For Your Emotions

Knit? Yes, knitting, or “knitting therapy.” Call it what you will, but researchers have found this activity is very good for you and your emotions. Whether you knit a sweater, a blanket or a bib, you get something beautiful in return and at the same time you take care of your emotional health. Interesting, isn’t it?

Author Kathryn Vercillo, an expert in therapeutic crafts, explored the topic. As a result of her research, she wrote a book called Crochet Saved My Life. She devotes much of her professional work to demonstrating the benefits of handicrafts.

Why does knitting have emotional benefits?

Knitting is explicitly part of some therapeutic treatment plans. It seems that the activity helps keep our brains agile and improve our emotional stability. Let’s knit it and take a closer look at your emotions…

It’s relaxing

It seems a bit contradictory, but it isn’t. Knitting is actually great for reducing anxiety, worrying and high levels of stress. But why?

Because knitting takes quite a lot of concentration. When you focus on the knitting needles, everything else disappears. Your problems fade into the background. In fact, it’s a great technique for getting your emotions under control. This is because the activity leaves little room for negative emotions (such as sadness, anger, and resentment) to take over.

It makes your brain more agile

This particular benefit is easy to explain. Crochet and other knitting techniques require mental dexterity. When you put your brain to work, it learns to work in a ‘more refined’ way. Therefore, it is an excellent hobby for the elderly. Researchers believe that exercising a certain psychological process (such as sustained attention) slows some symptoms of aging.

It also helps improve fine motor skills. As a result, overall hand-eye coordination also improves. Knitting therapy is good for children with motor disorders. It is also helpful for people with arthritis.

Knitting for social skills

Can an activity that requires concentration also have social benefits? The answer is yes. Knitting is a lot of fun to do together, and it is often done!

While knitting together wasn’t the hippest thing to do as friends for a while, it’s really making a comeback. Whether we’re talking knitting classes or knitting therapy, knitting is all the rage ! This is great news because it’s a great “excuse” to exchange ideas and spend time with other people.

 It relieves depression

Knitting is also great for people with depression. That’s because when you’re knitting, your body releases serotonin, a natural antidepressant. At least, that’s what a study by the British Journal of Occupational Therapy found. The study showed that 81% of the participants showed a remarkable improvement in serotonin levels after a period of knitting.

It improves your self confidence

Another wonderful thing about knitting is that it improves the knitter’s confidence. After all, knitting is where we learn a new skill and do something that feels productive. Moreover, making nice things for friends and family, doing something for others, will do wonders for your self-esteem.

Knitting is also an activity in which you express yourself. It’s a way to unleash your creativity, a chance to make something useful, something beautiful, maybe something that’s completely “you”. It will make you feel proud of your work and yourself.

It helps you sleep better

Insomnia is a growing global health problem. In general, we sleep badly because of stress, tension and anxiety. Despite the current discouraging numbers, there are ways to improve our sleep.

Herbert Benson, a professor at the Mind/Body Medical Institute, revealed that 90% of his patients saw improvement with some form of therapy that included knitting. It seems that focusing on a repetitive activity has a calming and relaxing effect. As a result, you go to bed relaxed, stress-free and ready to truly rest.

In short, knitting is just really good for you. Isn’t it time for you to grab your knitting needles too?