Effects of knitting

Effects of knitting on human health

Effects of knitting on human health
Knitting’s only benefit is not owning cozy sweaters, soft scarves and hats. Actually knitting has many physical and mental health benefits both for children and adults alike. Then what are these benefits?

Mental Health Benefits of Knitting
Knitters know very well how this hobby helps with their psychological wellbeing. First of all, knitting requires focus. When knitting, it is important that you pay attention only to this activity, away from all other stimuli and environmental factors. Thus, you will be moving away from negative thoughts and intense feelings for a while. In this way, knitting is like a kind of meditation. It helps with emptying the mind and staying in the moment. On the other hand, products such as sweaters and blankets that you create with your hand labor will make you feel better by raising your self-esteem. In addition; by giving these products to your loved ones, you can improve your social relationships and enjoy making your loved ones happy.

Knitting as a Method of Therapy
Knitting is being used in many known psychological disorders’ treatment as a supportive therapy. Many scientific researches have found that knitting helps produce serotonin, which is known as the happiness hormone. Serotonin leads to a rapid recovery on patients treated for depression. According to Mind & Body Medical Institute founder Dr. Herbert Benson’s book The Relaxation Response, knitting is a repetitive activity that calms and relaxes the person. Especially knitting in the evening can help with falling asleep easier and the deep sleep’s duration can be prolonged. The body, which relaxes with the help of deep sleep, will wake up easier and more vigorous. This results in both symptoms of depression and insomnia being reduced.
Keep Your Memory in Shape by Knitting
It is known that knitting is useful in neurological disorders related to brain functions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Scientific research found that the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is smaller for people who knit in relative to people who do not knit. The particular rhythm of knitting and keeping track of a sequence leads to the brain being stimulated and helps with the brain remaining active. For this reason, both knitting from a young age and knitting in the advanced age are important in terms of the brain staying dynamic.
Effects of Knitting on Motor Skills
Knitting has the effect of activating different neurons in all four different lobes of the brain. Regular knitting in adult patients with muscle disease such as Parkinson’s disease, may help to achieve rapid results in terms of recovery in the course of treatment. Since knitting has a developmental feature on small muscle skills, especially hand and finger muscles, it contributes to fine motor development which is very important in young children of developmental age. In addition to this, knitting contributes significantly to the development of hand-eye coordination in both children and adults, as the sense of vision and touch are working simultaneously. Joints and cartilage tissues are strengthened by this activity in which the joints of the fingers and wrists work in tandem.

Knitting as a Supportive Therapy for Autism
Autism brings with it a continuous and intensive training process. In the continuous education process that starts in the childhood, the breaks that will be filled with knitting for the individuals with autism are important for emptying their minds and their relief. Individuals with autism who enjoy recurrent activities, can satisfy their needs by knitting in moments of anxiety. There are also areas where individuals with autism are highly skilled and knitting can be one of them.
You can start knitting if you want to pick up a hobby that will have a positive impact both on your body and on your emotional state. Knitting, which keeps your brain vigorous and active, will help you feel better.