The Zen of Knitting
You may have found that there are two types of knitters, the one who knits for the process and the one that knits for the product. I find it hard to define for myself which type I belong to, though my initial thought is definitely the product knitter.
No matter which type you are (and let me know in the comments what you think which type represents you best), there is no doubt that along the way of your knitting journey you will gain health benefits as a treasury plus.
Mental benefits
Calmness
Knitting slows us down. There are no short cuts. Hustle and bustle will only leads to tangles. Once you mastered the basics of getting started and going with your knitting skills you will enter a meditative and relaxed state of mind that is comparable to yoga. While the rhythmic repetitions of simple movements calms the mind, it still stays active and alert due to the counting of rows and stitches. Immersing yourself in your knitting project and getting into that flow state will dampen stress hormones, distract you from disturbing thoughts, alleviate inner restlessness, depression and anxiety. Over the past years more studies got published on the health benefits of craft arts and knitting in particular, in which it is proven that 73% of the people who knit at least three times a week feel significantly less stressed.
What is happening in a knitters body while they are knitting? The uniformity of the process puts the body in a natural state of relaxation. That state of relaxation lowers the heart rate by up to 11 beats per minute and therefore also lowers the blood pressure. Feeling calm and relaxed is a great state slow down at the end of the day and if you experience troubles with insomnia, knitting might become your new favourite before bed time routine element.
2. Confidence
It is a pure moment of joy, when the last row is finished, the last stitch is casted off (and hopefully little to non sewing is left to be done). You feel that inner glow and satisfaction of having something created with your own hands. And you definitely should be proud of yourself! While you are recapping your knitting journey on that finished project, you may become aware of the fact how many consecutive hours you managed to stay off your phone! That fascinating cognition can be translated to many other habits that you may try to change. Anything that would impact your fine motor skills is logically not present during your knitting time. Anything that you habitually gravitate towards but would requires your hands is literally out of reach, due to the occupation from the needles and yarn. Knitting will work with you in limiting impulses like grabbing to that chips bag or cigarette or, as mentioned earlier, smartphone. Welcome your habit building buddy!
3. Alertness
Have you ever wondered what exactly is going on in your brain while you are knitting? Put simple it is a wild mix of activities in the regions of attention, planning, sensory information, spatial orientation, visual information, storing memories, understanding language, decoding meaning, and movement coordination. Neural connections run between all these areas, and the more they are used, the more supple they remain. This wonder of nature happening in your brain is the key for life long cognitive benefits. A study by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester with 1,321 seniors even came to the conclusion that regular knitting and crocheting reduces the risk of pathological memory loss, a precursor to Alzheimer's disease, by 40 percent.
Physical benefits
Knitting is a great workout for fingers, hands, and forearms. The constant movement keeps the joints supple, which counteracts cartilage degradation and can reduce the risk of arthritis. Besides you may find your neck and shoulders stiffen over time while being swept away in that fair isle knitting pattern, it is always a good idea to have daily stretches for your whole body to loosen up the muscles before you join your next knitting adventure.
I was pretty impressed by learning about these benefits and thus, feel even more excited to get my WIP piece out and knit that next row. Let me know which benefit resonated with you the most. If you are reading this while on the go without your project bag, you may find it relaxing to take a break and enjoy watching my latest knit with me video.
