Is knitting good for your health?

We know at Wool Overs we’ve got a great community of knitters, that know how knitting is a great way to relax. But does it have any proven effects on your health?

It makes you feel better

In one study in The British Journal of Occupational Therapy; out of 3,500 knitters, 81% said they felt happy after knitting. More than half of them said they felt “very happy”. This is thanks to a surge of dopamine to our brains, which makes us feel happier and more relaxed.

Knitting has been proven to make us feel better, so much so that it has been rolled out in some oncology units in hospitals in the U.S. to help the nurses relax and mitigate the compassion fatigue that they experience.

It can reduce the risk of dementia

In one study that was conducted, over 2,000 people aged 65 and over were surveyed and fund that “regular participation in social or leisure activities such as traveling, odd jobs, knitting, or gardening were associated with a lower risk of subsequent dementia.”

A study in the Spring 2011 edition of The Journal of Neuropsychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences showed that people who had hobbies that utilized their minds, for example reading books, playing games or crafting something, e.g. knitting, had a decreased risk of mild cognitive impairment, which is a possible precursor to Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia.

It keeps your hands active

Knitting has been shown to be especially useful in patients who have arthritis. Knit one, pearl one, improves the dexterity in your hands and fingers, and The Arthritis Foundation even suggested approaching knitting like a sport, making sure to warm up before you get stuck in. Using those knitting needles results in more long-term benefits and less pain in the fingers for those with arthritis.

It connects us

Knitting is a great way to keep you socially active, through knitting groups or charitable knitting communities. Suddenly, this isolated activity becomes a social one, where others can see what you’re working on and offer advice and, hopefully, praise!

With all these proven benefits for your health, combined with the fact that you can make a lovely jumper or scarf, why would you not want to knit? 

Image source: https://pixabay.com/