9 Health benefits of knitting by Deborah Alvarado

When talking about knitting, people always focuses on the result of a project or in the materials used. Both of them are important of course but people often forgets that knitting is more than making a scarf or a pair of beautiful socks. Knitting has many benefits for mental health and psychomotricity. Below I will list some of the benefits of this practice which will serve to remind us that when we knit we are not only creating art, but also, we are improving our mental abilities and contributing to feel better. Here is the list of the main benefits:

Trains mind/cognitive function

Knitting is an activity where every decision you make, brings to life what you visualize your final product to look like. This stimulates your motor cortex, frontal and occipital lobes. This means it strengthens your mind and slows down cognitive impairment.

Creates sense of purpose

Knitting is for those who are goal-driven and want to set achievable tasks. It doesn’t matter what you make, the success of your project can signal the reléase of dopamine, which stimulates your reward center. The euphoria is similar to the feeling you get after laying down the last jigsaw puzzle piece

Relieves stress

Knitting has therapeutic elements that can effectively relieve stress because it makes you focus on the task in front of you rather than thinking on things you can’t control which makes you be in a cycle of stress.

Improves concentration

Knitting reduces hyperactivity and help those with trouble focusing on one thing. It makes you shift your attention to the present moment by giving you something to work on. Seeing your progress reinforces the desire to concentrate on the task at hand. Does not matter if you’re a kid or an adult.

Improves memory

Knitting requires consistent practice and dedication to develop skill. Even a experienced knitter can make mistakes. This aspect of knitting teaches you to remember and recall your errors so you can avoid them in the future.

Builds good habits

Unlike smoking, fidgeting or other compulsive actions that are considered unfavorable habits, not all habits are bad. Knitting keeps you busy without being detrimental to your health or interfering with your daily life. Choosing to knit is a conscious decision with subconscious benefits because of the concentration required to keep you going. Knitting has helped people to quit smoking or people coping with health crises, like a cancer diagnosis or serious illness of a family member.

Strengthens upper limbs

Since knitting is not a speed competition, you can work at your own pace. Its rhythmic actions can actually aid the prevention of arthritis and tendinitis. Knitting intervals enable you to exercise arms and hands without excessive force that can lead to muscular damages

Provides a practical way to take a digital detox

Today we have technology everywhere, often we use digital devices that synthesize activities rather than actually doing them in reality. Knitting is an affordable and simple way to separate yourself from technology. Also protects your eyes since you won’t be looking at artificial lights and helps you appreciate time.

Builds interpersonal relationships

Knitting helps us to create new friendships and expand our social circle. This is because a lot of people share this hobby and the only thing we have to do is to approach a local group of knitters and join them. It is a healthy way to make friends and an enriching experience.

So next time you start knitting, remember that you’re not just working on a craft product. You’re also working on your mental health, memory and concentration.