Cast On for Your Health
What may be the health benefits of knitting
or crocheting?
May lower blood pressure
May relieve chronic pain
May relieve stress and anxiety
May strengthen the immune system
May help fight depression
May help you beat bad habits
May build confidence and self esteem and a sense
of accomplishment
May connect you with other people
May reduce dementia
The arts of knitting and crochet offer us a wide range of
health benefits on top of the beauty that comes off the needles when the
project is finished. To most of us who
knit or crochet, it is a relaxing experience, almost mesmerizing, as the
stitches slide along the needles or hook; it can actually put you into a
meditative state. Just like meditating
itself, this relaxing state can help lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
Many will argue that knitting and crochet can help those of
us living with chronic pain. How, you
ask? Wouldn’t the repetitive motions
create more pain like repetitive motion injury or carpal tunnel syndrome? Yes, that is possible, but in most cases
unlikely. Will it completely take your
pain away? No, but knitting and crochet
need your attention and take your mind off of your pain; it is used as a
distraction. As always, remember to
stretch your hands, fingers, wrists and arms before and during knitting or
crocheting and use good posture to avoid further pain.
Putting your excess energy into your knitting or crochet
project as well as again, finding that meditative state can relieve stress and
anxiety. Studies have shown that people
with less stress and anxiety in their lives also have stronger immune systems
and more easily ward of infection and disease.
Doing things that you enjoy release serotonin and dopamine in
the brain, or little “waves of happiness”.
When you feel these little “waves of happiness” you naturally want to
feel more. For people who are battling
depression, this is a very important concept that does not necessarily come
naturally. The repetitive motions of
knitting and crocheting can keep a constant stream of these “happy waves” flowing
and help in the fight with depression.
Knitting and crochet can help beat bad habits. Do you smoke, enjoy junk food, chew your
nails or maybe have other habits you are looking to break? All of these things are hard to do when you
have your hands full with needles and yarn.
Knitting and crochet can also build your self-esteem and add
to your sense of accomplishment. Self-esteem,
confidence and a sense of accomplishment is important at any age. When you learn a new stitch, technique or
pattern, or finish that project no matter how big or how small, it makes you
feel good and like you’ve accomplished something. Once you start doing this, the more confident
you become in learning new skills and you will begin to challenge
yourself. You will be truly amazed at
what you can do.
These arts can also help to connect you with other people
and can be a social as you want them to be.
Maybe you decide to take a class to learn new skills or join a club or
group, not only may there be an instructor, but other people who share your
passion to interact with. Rather knit by
yourself? The hobby can still be social;
the craft is portable and often times you will see people knitting or
crocheting in public places like waiting rooms, airports and airplanes or even
sporting events and restaurants. If you
are a public knitter, at some point someone is bound to approach you and talk
to you about what you are doing. I haven’t
met a knitter yet who doesn’t love to share their passion with others.
Knitting and crochet is exercise for the brain and may help
reduce the risk of dementia. When you
are doing these crafts, you need to focus on what you are doing, follow a
pattern and often times keep count of your stitches, all of which are like
doing little sit-ups for the brain to keep it healthy.
I am not a doctor, most of the information stated is from
various studies that I’ve found online, some from medical groups, some
not.
I am however a knitter who lives
with chronic pain, stress and anxiety, a compromised immune system and
depression all of which has lead me to a life of often feeling little self
worth or accomplishment and turned me into an extreme introvert.
I can attest that when I am knitting I am
happy and can somewhat forget about my pain.
I get excited to knit and learn new techniques.
I love to knit in public and I love to share
my passion for knitting with other people, it opens me up a bit.
I also love the feeling of finishing a
project and giving it to someone special, whom I know will appreciate the love
and hard work that I put into it.
Knitting indeed gives me a sense of accomplishment and brings out a
spark, a bit of passion in me.
Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit,
and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit, either.
-Elizabeth Zimmerman
