Thanksgiving 2024
As Thanksgiving rolls around and we spend more time than usual thinking about what we’re thankful for, knitting and crocheting come to mind. These fiber arts enrich our lives in so many ways.
Did you know that engaging mentally with your pattern benefits cognitive skills, including memory and reasoning? Alternating knit and purl stitches stimulates brain function. Researchers speculate that craft activities promote the development of neural pathways in the brain that help to maintain cognitive health.
The repetitive motions can help to improve fine motor skills and dexterity in the hands and fingers.
Once you’re comfortable with the techniques your project requires, knitting and crocheting can lower heart rate and blood pressure and reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.
Research also suggests that the soothing, repetitive motion of our craft can enhance the release of Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in mood regulation, learning, sleep, and pain perception.Knitting can bring us into the present moment where we can forget everything else.
Scarflette, designed by Justyna Lorkowska
Knitting and crocheting also bring out our creativity when we choose colors to use and think of modifications to patterns. It puts us into contact with others who share a similar love for fiber arts.
Plus, it’s just plain fun to want to make something, decide what to make, decide which yarn and color to make it with, perhaps learn something new and meet new, like-minded people while we’re at it! Being around all the colors at My Sister Knits is good for our souls!
Snow Beanie, designed by Pernille Larsen
Learning something new is challenging and increases our self-esteem and self-confidence when we perform that task successfully. The neurotransmitter and hormone Dopamine is released and we feel happy! Dopamine and serotonin are involved in similar bodily processes but they operate differently.
So, let’s be thankful for all of the health benefits of knitting and crocheting, many of which we don’t even realize are going on in our brains!
“Really, handknitting is a dreamy activity, built into many people’s thumbs and fingers by genes already there, itching to display their skills and achievement possibilities.” Elizabeth Zimmerman
Resources:
7 Great Health Benefits of Knitting, Abbeyfield South Downs
The Health Benefits of Knitting, New York Times
The Many Benefits of Knitting, Mindwell UCLA
Happy knitting,
